The UK and the Netherlands plan to construct the world’s largest cross-border power line connecting the two countries to offshore wind farms in the North Sea, as reported by Reuters on April 24. This project is intended to strengthen the energy security of both countries and provide green electricity to 1.8 million homes. The cross-border electricity cable will be the second of its kind globally, with the first being built by Germany and Denmark. The project is scheduled to be operational by the early 2030s and will be able to transfer 1.8 gigawatts (GW) of power from a Dutch wind farm to Britain or the same amount produced in Britain to the Netherlands. 

Dutch Energy Minister, Rob Jetten, believes that this new connection further enhances energy security and independence in Europe. Tapping into the potential of the North Sea to generate and deliver clean energy is seen as the most rapid and cost-effective way to achieve net-zero emissions. The project is also part of a broader commitment made by the nine countries around the North Sea to develop renewable energy in the region, with the aim of avoiding over-dependence on a single foreign source such as Russia. The EU and the UK have set a combined objective to have 120GW of offshore wind in the North Sea by 2030. The North Sea renewables initiative can also support the UK’s ambitious target to increase its offshore wind fivefold to 50GW by 2030. 

Sources:

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/uk-netherlands-plan-cross-border-power-link-boost-energy-security-2023-04-23/

https://news.sky.com/story/lionlink-worlds-largest-cross-border-power-line-to-be-built-by-uk-and-netherlands-12865191

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-signs-agreement-on-offshore-renewable-energy-cooperation