National Grid’s 1400MW North Sea Link interconnector to Norway has paid off its carbon cost after operating for six months.
During its first year of operation, the link has imported 4.6 terawatt hours of clean electricity.
The €1.6bn subsea electricity cable is the longest in the world and began transporting energy between Britain and Norway in October 2021.
Six months later, the link had imported enough green energy to offset the carbon cost of constructing it, said National Grid, which operates the interconnector through a joint venture with Norwegian transmission system operator Statnett.
North Sea Link stretches for 450 miles beneath the North Sea travelling through mountains and fjords to connect Blyth in the UK with the Norwegian village of Kvilldal.
North Sea Link has also exported 1.1 TWh to Norway, demonstrating the role that interconnectors play in strengthening energy security and maximising the benefits of clean energy sources for consumers across the UK and Europe.
North Sea Link is National Grid’s fifth interconnector linking the UK with its European neighbours.
The company also operates IFA and IFA2 to France, BritNed to The Netherlands and Nemo Link to Belgium.
National Grid’s sixth interconnector, Viking Link, is under construction.
Due to be completed by the end of 2023, the project will link Bicker Fen in Lincolnshire to Revsing in Denmark.
Nicola Medalova, Managing Director Interconnectors for National Grid, said: “North Sea Link is a remarkable feat of engineering and demonstrates how we can work with our neighbours to use every spare electron of green electricity to strengthen our energy supplies.
“Repaying the carbon cost of construction and operation within six months also means we have been able to see the environmental impacts of this project in a matter of weeks – benefits which will last for generations to come.
“By 2030, we estimate our interconnectors will have saved the UK around 100 million tonnes of CO2 by enabling the fast and flexible sharing of clean, lower cost energy with our European neighbours – equivalent to taking two million cars off the road.”