Minister Van der Straeten (shown here) and State Secretary Nimmermann want to develop a new interconnector between Belgium and Germany (source: WindEurope)
Belgian Energy Minister Tinne Van der Straeten and German Energy State Secretary Dr Philipp Nimmermann have agreed to examine the development of a hybrid interconnector
In a statement, the German and Belgian governments said the offshore connection would leverage the significant regional potential for offshore wind energy in the North Sea and contribute to the development of a meshed offshore grid in the North Sea.
The ministries called on the transmission system operators in Germany and Belgium to examine options for the project, to involve other parties if necessary and to report to the energy ministers by the next North Sea Summit in June 2025.
Germany and Belgium are strong supporters of the green energy transition and have worked closely together in the past.
Examples include the ALEGrO connection – the first electricity connection between the countries, which has been in operation since 2020, for which a follow-up project is planned – a planned hydrogen pipeline between Germany and Belgium, in addition to long-standing co-operation in the North Sea Energy Cooperation. Germany will host the third North Sea Summit in June 2025.
Both countries have set ambitious targets for offshore wind. Belgium aims to build 6 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030 and 8 GW by 2040; Germany wants to have at least 30 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030 and 70 GW by 2045.
“Working closely together, Belgium and Germany can drive innovation and progress in renewable energy, keep the cost of the energy transition as low as possible and promote strong and secure industrial value chains,” the statement said. The report will provide insights into the costs and benefits, the potential timeline and possible challenges involved in developing an interconnector.
Minister Van der Straeten and State Secretary Nimmermann expressed their determination to work together to realise their vision and to promote the development of renewable energy and a hybrid offshore grid in the North Sea.
