Xinhua, Brussels :
The European Commission Monday welcomed the Norwegian government’s announcement to licence the construction of two sub-sea cables linking Norway to Germany and Britain.
According to a European Commission statement, the two 1,400 MW underwater cables will enable the three countries to exchange electricity and use Norwegian hydropower potential.
The licence granted on Monday is a further step towards building the two sub-sea cables. The NORD.LINK interconnector will run between Norway and Germany, and the North Sea Network (NSN) will run between Norway and Britain, with the goal of being operational by 2020.
Gunther Oettinger, vice president of the European Commission and in charge of energy, said the decision “will help enormously to integrate renewable energy in north-western Europe,” noting that Germany and Britain can sell renewable energy to Norway when weather conditions are such that the countries produce a lot and Norway can sell electricity from hydropower.
The integration of the Norwegian, German and British electricity markets, which at the moment are not directly connected, will ensure the improved security of supply in Germany and Britain, increase market efficiency, and further integrate renewables, according to the statement.
In June 2012, British Prime Minister David Cameron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg agreed to a partnership between the three countries to secure sustainable, long-term energy security through interconnectors joining Norway to Germany and Britain.
The European Commission Monday welcomed the Norwegian government’s announcement to licence the construction of two sub-sea cables linking Norway to Germany and Britain.
According to a European Commission statement, the two 1,400 MW underwater cables will enable the three countries to exchange electricity and use Norwegian hydropower potential.
The licence granted on Monday is a further step towards building the two sub-sea cables. The NORD.LINK interconnector will run between Norway and Germany, and the North Sea Network (NSN) will run between Norway and Britain, with the goal of being operational by 2020.
Gunther Oettinger, vice president of the European Commission and in charge of energy, said the decision “will help enormously to integrate renewable energy in north-western Europe,” noting that Germany and Britain can sell renewable energy to Norway when weather conditions are such that the countries produce a lot and Norway can sell electricity from hydropower.
The integration of the Norwegian, German and British electricity markets, which at the moment are not directly connected, will ensure the improved security of supply in Germany and Britain, increase market efficiency, and further integrate renewables, according to the statement.
In June 2012, British Prime Minister David Cameron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg agreed to a partnership between the three countries to secure sustainable, long-term energy security through interconnectors joining Norway to Germany and Britain.
