TenneT, RWE Sign Grid Connection Agreements for Dutch Offshore Wind Project

Grid Connection

September 13, 2023, by Adnan Memija

RWE and transmission system operator (TSO) TenneT have signed offshore grid connection agreements for OranjeWind, a wind farm to be built 53 kilometres off the Dutch coast.

A photo of RWE's Kaskasi offshore wind farm — Illustration; Kaskasi offshore wind farm; Photo courtesy of RWE

The Connection & Transmission Agreement (CTA) and Realisation Agreement (REA) cover the realisation of the grid connection and the transmission of the electricity produced by RWE’s wind farm on TenneT’s platform.

The agreements not only specify planning, but also how the electricity will be delivered from the wind farm to ensure stability in the grid, said RWE.

The connection will link to the high-voltage substation in Wijk aan Zee and will be operational by 2026.

“This is an important milestone in the project that brings us one step closer to realising our perfect match for system integration and supplying sustainable electricity to over one million households in the Netherlands,” said Sven Utermöhlen, CEO RWE Offshore Wind.

In November 2022, RWE won the right to build and operate a subsidy-free offshore wind farm in the Hollandse Kust West (HKW) VII site.

The OranjeWind offshore wind farm will have an installed capacity of almost 800 MW and is expected to start producing renewable electricity in 2027.

The project will incorporate floating solar panels, a subsea lithium-ion battery, and a LiDAR system to predict power production more accurately, said RWE.

In addition, the developer will invest in onshore integration such as electrolysis capacity and e-boilers, to match power generation and offtake.

“The connection of this wind farm marks another important step in the goals towards a sustainable energy system. Through the innovations in this project with offshore solar panels and batteries, we can jointly gain experience in building the energy system of the future,” said Marco Kuijpers, Director Offshore Projects of TenneT.

TenneT is realising seven standard offshore alternating current (AC) connections in the Netherlands, each with an average capacity of 700 MW. From 2029, wind farms further offshore will be fitted with 2 GW of standard direct current (DC) connections.