Scotland to Join Renewable Power Forces with Norway

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond while speaking on Monday in Norway, referred to progress made on NorthConnect, according to the UPI news portal.

The NorthConnect is a planned venture to join the British and Scandinavian electricity grids by laying a subsea cable that would act as a two-way traffic route in renewable power, exchanging Scotland’s wind for Norway’s hydro power.

Mr Salmond said that a high-voltage interconnector between the two countries can help create a powerful renewable energy alliance between the nations. That could play a key role in establishing a single, integrated European market for renewable energy, he said.

The 1.4 GW link project, which would stretch 372 miles from Peterhead in northeast Scotland to Samnanger, is developed by the Swedish Vattenfall and Scottish and Southern Energy.

The connection would be two-way, enabling Scotland to use Norway’s hydropower resources when Scottish wind power supplies are low.

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Offshore WIND staff, May 16, 2012; Image: The Scottish Government