Dutch Climate and Green Growth Minister Sophie Hermans has included an electricity interconnector project between the Netherlands and the UK in the latest Offshore Wind Energy Development Framework.
The LionLink direct current (DC) interconnector will be realised through the Nederwiek 3 offshore grid project.
Following Hermans’ decision the Ministry of Climate and Green Growth will take a decision on the details of the market design for wind farm developers in the tender procedure for Nederwiek 3.
In addition, new arrangements on market coupling between the European Union and the United Kingdom are needed for the effective operation of this interconnector.
LionLink will connect the offshore wind farm Nederwiek 3 to both the Dutch and the UK onshore high-voltage grid.
The connection will also be used as an additional high-voltage link to exchange electricity between the countries.
LionLink is being realised in close cooperation with UK partner National Grid Ventures (NGV).
Marco Kuijpers director of large offshore projects at TenneT said: “TenneT welcomes this next step in the development of LionLink.
“The hybrid interconnector between the Netherlands and the UK provides benefits for both countries, as it ensures improved security of supply, higher cable utilisation rates and efficient use of space in the North Sea.
“In addition, this hybrid interconnector stimulates competition in the energy markets so that the affordability of electricity improves for both consumers and industry.
“Over the next few years, National Grid Ventures, TenneT and the Dutch and UK governments will work together on the next steps to get the connection up and running in 2032.”