German transmission system
operators (TSOs) 50Hertz, Amprion, TenneT and the German Federal Ministry
for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK), have presented initial
plans for networking projects in the North Sea.
In the future, connection lines from offshore wind farms with a total output
of 10 GW are to be networked with each other. Plans also include connections
with neighbouring European countries, such as Denmark and the Netherlands.
Federal Minister Robert Habeck said: “The energy transition
is benefiting enormously from increased networking with neighboring countries. With
additional grid connections, more cost-effective electricity from renewable
energies can be imported to Germany. At the same time, we have to
curtail less electricity. The plans presented today show how we will
transform the energy system in close cooperation with our European neighbors. Wind
energy at sea will play a crucial role in the climate-neutral energy system.”
According to BMWK, by networking offshore wind farms significantly
more electricity from renewable energies can be integrated into the pan-European
system. For Germany, this increases the security of supply, since
additional amounts of electricity can be imported from neighboring countries
at times of high electricity demand. In times of high electricity
demand, electricity prices are also lower than without networking. If
the demand for electricity is low and renewable energy production
is high in Germany, renewable electricity can also be exported. In
this way, curtailment of German wind farms can be avoided.
In the next step, the TSOs aim to implement their plans for networking offshore wind
farms into official German and European planning processes.
