Green electricity flows between the Netherlands and Denmark
See update below. As of delivery day 7 September, the so-called 'green cable' between the Netherlands and Denmark will be available for the electricity market. The subsea high-voltage direct current cable of approximately 325 kilometres has a capacity of 700 megawatts (MW). This corresponds to the capacity of 2.8 million electric bicycles.
Update: 09 September:
Delayed due to IT problems. The full capacity is expected to be released to the day ahead and intraday markets from the auction run 10 September 2019 for delivery 11 September 2019 onwards. Information on Financial Transmission Rights will be pub-lished at the TSO’s websites. (UMM nordpool.com 6 September Nordpoolgroup.com)
Update: 06 September:
Testing delayed due to failure of test. The full capacity is expected to be released to the day ahead and intraday markets from the auction run 08 September 2019 for delivery 09 September 2019 onwards. (UMM nordpool.com 5 September //umm.nordpoolgroup)
The COBRA cable is an initiative of the Dutch high-voltage grid operator TenneT and the Danish electricity and gas grid operator Energinet. Construction started in 2016 and was completed earlier this year. The interconnector cable runs between Eemshaven (the Netherlands) via Germany and Endrup (Denmark). Two onshore converter stations, one in the Netherlands and one in Denmark, convert alternating current into direct current. This is necessary to transport the electricity without major losses. The converters also convert direct current back into alternating current; electricity grids operate on the basis of alternating current.
Siemens is the main contractor for design and technical equipment of the converter stations in Denmark and in the Netherlands and for the construction of the converter station in Eemshaven. The cables were manufactured and installed by Prysmian.
The Netherlands can import more sustainable electricity via this interconnector cable, mainly wind energy from Denmark. Ensuring security of supply is of great importance to Denmark. The cable makes Dutch capacity available on a structural basis for the Danish electricity grid and vice versa. Furthermore, the cable connection has been designed in such a way that it will be possible to connect an offshore wind farm at a later stage. In this way, the cable contributes to realizing a sustainable international energy landscape, an important goal of the European Union.
