Tim Meyerjürgens, Chief Operating Officer at TenneT, on the transmission system operator’s plans for the North Sea.
North Sea by 2030 and as much as 300 gigawatts by 2050. How can this task be tackled?
The European energy transition—the complete conversion of our fossil energy system to one that is essentially based on renewable energies—is one of the greatest challenges of our time. This can only succeed if we work together decisively and across national borders. To be able to meet rising demand while becoming climate neutral, the EU member states must rapidly and comprehensively expand renewable energies and transmission grids.
If we look at Central Europe, wind and solar energy will be the main sources available to us in the future. Offshore wind energy will play a central role here and the North Sea will develop into a powerhouse for northwest Europe. Companies from the North Sea states of the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany therefore joined forces in 2017 and launched the North Sea Wind Power Hub as one of the Projects of Common Interest.
“We currently operate offshore grid connection systems with a total capacity of around 11.5 gigawatts (GW). By 2031, we will expand this capacity to a good 40 GW.“
Tim Meyerjürgens, Chief Operating Officer at TenneT
The focus of this project is on three ideas. First, the immense potential of the North Sea is to be tapped with cross-border connections via an energy hub at sea. Second, the combination of wind farm connection lines and interconnectors will create a cost-efficient and resilient transnational grid structure that connects different weather systems and helps to stabilize the volatile supply of renewable energies. And, third, the integration of different energy sectors and energy sources creates the best conditions for the production of hydrogen, thus supporting the decarbonization of industry.
As Europe’s leading offshore transmission system operator, TenneT is already massively driving forward the expansion and development of new technical standards. We currently operate offshore grid connection systems with a total capacity of around 11.5 gigawatts (GW). By 2031, we will expand this capacity to a good 40 GW and thus provide a third of the European target of 120 GW for 2030.
How can the massive expansion of wind energy generation in the North Sea be accelerated?
One answer to this is the North Sea Wind Power Hub. Instead of individual national point-to-point connections, we are investigating how the large wind potential in the North Sea can be jointly developed and distributed by the European countries. As a result, the countries involved will achieve a significant acceleration in the expansion of offshore wind energy as a basis for achieving the target of climate neutrality by 2045.
“Our new technical 2 GW standard will accelerate grid expansion in the North Sea and further drive the European energy transition.“
Tim Meyerjürgens, Chief Operating Officer at TenneT
A second answer is our 2 GW program—our new technical standard which will accelerate grid expansion in the North Sea and further drive the European energy transition. It will conserve resources and reduce environmental impact—with more than twice the power compared to previous systems. It involves a standardized 2 GW high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission platform concept and a new 525 kV cable system.
Both will increase the transmission capacity while at the same time reducing the impact on the environment. By 2031, TenneT will build at least 14 of these 2 GW offshore grid connection systems in the German-Dutch North Sea. Together, the projects will supply up to 35 million European households with green wind energy from the North Sea. The 2 GW standard is technically the central building block for a modular North Sea Windpower Hub concept.
What concepts is TenneT pursuing in the North Sea?
We are pursuing the concept of a meshed direct current grid at sea and on land. In order to tap into the immense potential in the North Sea, wind farms need to be networked across national borders with distribution hubs and high-performance grid infrastructure. We are currently working on networking offshore grid connection systems on the high seas so that power can be bundled and distributed internationally in a sensible way. In Germany, for example, the grid connection points on land are suitable locations for directly supplying important industries with green energy. In terms of sector coupling, this creates the best conditions for the production and integration of hydrogen to decarbonize industry.
Another new feature is that direct current lines on land are being designed as a meshed system: At selected grid connection points on land, the direct current lines from the sea are to be directly networked with the further transmitting direct current lines on land in so-called multi-terminal hubs. This will make the system even more robust, powerful, and cost-efficient and will also significantly minimize land consumption and environmental impact which are important factors for acceptance.
In your opinion, are artificial energy islands as a distribution hub for offshore wind energy a solution?
Planning for offshore wind farm networks is still at an early stage and depends heavily on local conditions, particularly the depth of the water. In principle, very different models can be used—various types of platform structures or even islands.
Much more important in the discussion is the necessary technical standardization of converter platforms and offshore connection systems. Only with a cross-provider and cross-operator technical standard can networking be realized, and the system become flexible and efficient.
What significance will the production of green hydrogen have in the context of wind power expansion?
Molecules are an indispensable building block for the energy transition and in the long term, together with electricity, they form the energy basis for our industry. In short: we can’t do without molecules. We will continue to import most of our hydrogen from other parts of the world in the future but electrolysis in the German North Sea is currently being intensively investigated.
As a transmission system operator, the important factor for us in the end is that electrolyzers—including those in the North Sea—must be located in a way that serves the grid and therefore does not generate any further grid bottlenecks. This means that wherever we need energy in the form of electricity, it is more efficient not to take the detour via hydrogen, but to transport the electricity from the place of generation to the consumers via lines. This is because a lot of energy is lost during the double conversion of electricity to hydrogen and back again. However, we need green hydrogen in many areas, for example to decarbonize industry or for gas-fired power plants.
In a system based on volatile energy sources such as solar and wind, we urgently need additional secured electricity output—i.e. a reliable backup—and hydrogen-capable gas-fired power plants will play a central role in this regard. This is also envisaged in the German government’s power plant strategy with its realization that gas-fired power plants must be able to step in flexibly if renewables temporarily do not supply enough electricity. This is why hydrogen is of outstanding importance for our future energy supply and system security.
Which operating resources and services are becoming more important in the context of these major tasks?
Tackling the European energy transition from the North Sea is a promising plan—and an enormous challenge. More and more wind farms and offshore grid connection systems need to be built in ever shorter timeframes. At the same time, fragile supply chains and sharply rising material costs on the global market, for example for raw materials, are making it increasingly difficult to implement this project in a timely and cost-efficient manner.
With our innovative 2 GW standard, we have developed a contractual, administrative, and technological blueprint for future offshore grid connection systems. We have thus created a strong foundation for making green wind energy from the North Sea scalable and even more cost-efficient in the future. The use of FIDIC standard contracts in our projects also contributes to this since FIDIC is recognized worldwide, is used throughout the industry and facilitates the implementation of our 2 GW standards.
“Tackling the European energy transition from the North Sea is a promising plan—and an enormous challenge.“
Tim Meyerjürgens, Chief Operating Officer at TenneT
Nevertheless, offshore expansion represents an enormous challenge. More and more systems need to be produced, installed and commissioned in ever shorter time periods. This will only be possible in a joint effort. We have therefore decided to publish large-scale tenders for our HVDC systems/platforms and the cable systems for a whole range of grid connection systems instead of individual tenders in order to offer our supply chain a reliable long-term perspective. With our new approach, we are bringing together key market players at an early stage, pooling expertise, and creating synergies. In this way, we increase market capacities in good time and promote commitment and cooperation. Our partnership approach is a prime example of a long-term commitment to sustainable and rapid grid expansion in the North Sea.
The even stronger focus on partnership goes hand in hand with a fundamental change in values. Suppliers and customers are becoming even closer partners with shared goals, shared challenges, and shared responsibilities. Only together as a team will we be able to increase the pace of network expansion and master this historic challenge.
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