TenneT has emphasized the imperative need for dependable political and economic conditions to support the rapid expansion of offshore grids. During a visit to a shipyard in Cadiz, Spain, Tim Meyerjürgens, COO of TenneT, underscored the significance of establishing consistent and secure frameworks to facilitate offshore wind expansion.
Meyerjürgens emphasized, “The North Sea, often referred to as Europe's green power plant, must be developed swiftly and efficiently, and seamlessly integrated with onshore power grids. This integration is paramount to realize Europe's vision of a self-sustained supply of renewable energy. Achieving this goal necessitates a high level of political and economic reliability, both for TenneT and its partners.”
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In practical terms, this reliability entails streamlining approval procedures, ensuring adequate market capacities, maintaining stable supply chains, and launching a comprehensive initiative to address the imminent shortage of skilled workers in the offshore sector. Only through a concerted effort on all these fronts can ambitious expansion targets be met.
During the visit, TenneT's team had the opportunity to observe the progress of the converter platform construction for the BorWin5 offshore grid connection system in the German North Sea.
Dieter Janecek, Federal Government Coordinator for the Maritime Economy and Tourism, also chimed in on the matter, expressing the government's unwavering commitment to accelerating offshore wind energy expansion as a top political priority.
“The Federal Government is fully dedicated to expediting this expansion,” Janecek affirmed. “This commitment encompasses expediting approval processes and supporting the development of converter platform production capabilities within Germany. The recent construction of the converter platform exemplifies the broader economic benefits of the energy transition.”
The collaborative efforts between Spanish and German companies have already resulted in the creation of thousands of well-paying industrial jobs in the offshore wind industry, with more to come. This cooperative approach underlines the collective European pursuit of scaling up the offshore wind sector to meet growing energy demands.
In summary, TenneT's plea for secure framework conditions resonates with broader efforts to ensure a swift and effective expansion of offshore wind energy, aligned with the ambitious goals of the energy transition in Germany and across Europe.
