TSOs to co-operate on Baltic offshore transmission system

The plan, the Baltic Offshore Grid Initiative, aims to develop common planning principles for an offshore transmission network that will become part of ENTSO-E’s 10-year network development plan.

The TSOs also plan to carry out studies that support a common vision of an offshore transmission network in the Baltic.

In September 2020, EU member states bordering the Baltic signed the Baltic Sea Offshore Wind Joint Declaration, which aims to expand co-operation on offshore wind.

The signatories to that declaration believe the Baltic has the potential to make a significant contribution to decarbonisation through investment in offshore wind and the expansion of a transmission network between the countries. They see an offshore network as part of the solution to exploit the potential of offshore wind in the region. Studies suggest the Baltic has potential offshore wind generating capacity of in excess of 90 GW.

Among the signatories of the Baltic Sea Offshore Wind Declaration were Poland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia. The countries are jointly committed to the expansion of offshore wind in the Baltic and want to foster mutual collaboration in the context of the Baltic Energy Market Interconnection Plan.

They plan to collaborate in areas such as hybrid offshore wind projects, smart grids, energy system integration and digitalisation. According to the declaration, the eight countries will also develop co-ordinated approaches to maritime planning, taking into account other uses of the sea space and environmental protection.

The transmission system operators signing the new agreement for the Baltic Offshore Grid Initiative include Fingrid in Finland, Svenska Kraftnät (Sweden), Energinet (Denmark), 50Hertz (Germany), Elering (Estonia), AST (Latvia) and Litgrid AB in Lithuania. Statnett in Norway is participating as an observer.