Belgium aims to build world’s first artificial energy island VIDEO

Belgian transmission system operator (TSO) "Elia" has presented draft plans for what the company says "will be the world's first artificial energy island".

The Dutch Offshore Wind magazine reports that the "Princess Elisabeth Island" will be located almost 45 kilometres off the Belgian coast. It will serve as the link between its onshore high-voltage grid and the offshore wind farms in the country's second offshore wind zone, the Princess Elisabeth zone, and will have a maximum capacity of 3.5 GW.

"The energy island will also be the first building block of a European offshore electricity grid that will serve as a central hub for new interconnectors with the UK and Denmark", Elia said.

Belgium's Maritime Spatial Plan (2020-2026) provides for the development of a new wind power production zone in the Belgian part of the North Sea.

In line with the Belgian Electricity Act, Elia is responsible for extending the transmission grid based on plans that must be approved by appropriate ministers.

The operator announces that the draft plans for the first energy island are now ready and the tender process is being prepared.

Princess Elisabeth Island will combine both direct current (HVDC) and alternating current (HVAC). The island's high-voltage infrastructure will bundle the wind farm export cables from the Princess Elisabeth zone together, while also serving as a hub for future interconnectors with the UK (Nautilus) and Denmark (TritonLink).

"These will be hybrid interconnectors that have a dual function and will therefore be more efficient", according to Elia.

The energy island will occupy an area of approximately five hectares above the waterline. The artificial island will be constructed in the Princess Elisabeth wind zone and will be constructed from concrete caissons filled with sand.

A small harbour and helicopter pad are also due to be built for maintenance teams. In order to connect all future offshore installations to the Belgian high-voltage grid, 300 kilometres of alternating current cables and 60 kilometres of direct current cables will be needed.

The energy island will rely on support from Belgium’s post-COVID-19 recovery plan, which Belgium asked the European Commission to approve, meaning it is due to receive a subsidy of around €100 million.

"The plans for an energy island were developed as part of the recovery plan for Europe. The federal government has stepped up a gear in terms of offshore wind development. Thanks to the very first energy island, new interconnections, three new wind farms in the North Sea and the repowering of the first offshore wind zone, we are transforming the North Sea into one big green power plant. By quadrupling offshore wind capacity by 2040, we will reinforce our energy independence, reduce our energy bills and reduce our CO2 emissions", said Belgian Minister for Energy, Tinne Van der Straeten.

The tender process for the island is being prepared, as is the development of the environmental impact assessment, the preparation of the permitting procedure and the application for a concession of public space.

The construction of the island is due to start in 2024 and the island should be completed in mid-2026. From then on, the construction of the electrical infrastructure on the energy island will start.

The construction of future wind farms is being organised by the Belgian government through a series of tenders. The connection of the wind farms to the Elia grid is linked to the commissioning of two onshore grid reinforcement projects: the Ventilus and Boucle du Hainaut. Elia aims to achieve full connection capacity by 2030.

"The North Sea is becoming the powerhouse behind our energy independence. However, recently, following the acts of sabotage inflicted on the North Stream gas pipelines, it has become more crucial than ever for us to protect such critical infrastructure from sabotage and attacks", Vincent Van Quickenborne, Belgium’s Minister for the North Sea, said.

He further added that "we will secure both the cables which transport electricity to the mainland and the energy island against these kinds of events. We recently passed a law that significantly strengthens such measures. We are now providing for the use of video surveillance at sea, drones, the tracking of foreign boats in our waters and having competent services carry out regular safety analyses".