RWE and grid operator TenneT have signed contracts for an offshore grid connection of RWE’s 800MW offshore wind farm project OranjeWind.
The wind farm is to be built 53 km off the Dutch coast and was known under the project name Hollandse Kust West VII (HKW VII) until it was renamed.
The Connection & Transmission Agreement (CTA) signed between the grid operator and the energy company and the Realisation Agreement (REA) govern the construction of the grid connection and the transfer of the electricity produced by the RWE wind farm to the TenneT platform.
The contracts regulate not only the planning, but also how the electricity from the wind farm will be supplied to ensure the stability of the grid.
The grid will be connected to the high-voltage substation in Wijk aan Zee and will be operational by 2026.
Sven Utermöhlen, CEO RWE Offshore Wind, said: “I am pleased that we were able to sign the contracts so quickly, because these agreements guarantee the transport of the electricity generated by the OranjeWind wind farm.
“This is a milestone for the realisation of our first offshore wind project in the Netherlands, which not only relies on full system integration, but is also expected to supply more than one million households in the Netherlands with green electricity.
“A good cooperation with TenneT is essential for this.”
In order to achieve a “perfect balance” between supply and demand, a number of innovations are to be integrated with OranjeWind.
These include floating solar panels, an underwater lithium-ion battery and a LiDAR-based system for more accurate prediction of power generation.
In addition, RWE will invest in onshore system integration, in electrolysis capacities and electric boilers, in order to coordinate power generation and power consumption.
RWE is also developing solutions for the intelligent charging of electric vehicles.
The realisation of the offshore wind farm follows an ambitious schedule.
In order to complete the project and supply renewable electricity from 2027, agreements with partners such as TenneT are essential.
Since 2016, TenneT has been the offshore grid operator in the Netherlands, feeding offshore wind power into the onshore grid.
“The grid connection of this wind farm is another important step on the way to a sustainable energy system,” said Marco Kuijpers, Director Offshore Projects at TenneT.
“The innovations in this project, which include offshore solar panels and batteries, will allow us to gain experience together in building the energy system of the future.”