Working towards a link between the Belgian and Danish energy islands
With the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two countries, the world's longest ever undersea link between two artificial energy islands is expected to be operational before 2030.
As Tinne Van der Straeten, the Belgian Minister of Energy, said in the presence of her Danish counterpart during her visit to Copenhagen: "With the energy islands and the hybrid interconnection, we are positioning ourselves as pioneers and transforming the North Sea into a large renewable power plant."
Construction of the Triton Link is expected to take approximately four years and be completed before the end of this decade. The two electricity transmission system operators, Elia for Belgium and Energinet for Denmark, can now start working together to build the world's first ever 600-km undersea link between two artificial energy islands.
In practical terms, this Triton Link will establish a cable link between the two countries allowing the exchange of electricity produced by the offshore wind turbines on the two energy islands, one Belgian off the coast of De Panne and the other off the Danish coast. The aim is to bring power to the mainland on a reciprocal basis between the two countries. That is why this project is called a "hybrid" interconnection.
This memorandum of understanding confirms Belgium's major ambitions in the field of renewable energy, as shown by the ongoing development of a second wind farm in the Princess Elisabeth area, where this new artificial island will emerge.