Viking Link is a 770km long high voltage direct current (HVDC) interconnector link between the UK and Denmark. The interconnector will be developed by a joint venture between Energinet and National Grid and will lay the lines, connecting between Bicker Fenn in Lincolnshire, UK and Vejen in South Jutland in Denmark.
The project will require the construction of a convertor station in each country, which will convert the incoming alternating current (AC) into direct current (DC) for transmission. A pair of submarine cables will be used for the transmission, which will be buried in the North Sea’s seabed.
Energinet plans to invest DKR11bn (€1.48bn) for the project and it is expected to bring savings of DKR4.7bn (€630m) over a period of 40 years to Denmark.
Energinet chief technical officer Torben Glar Nielsen said: “Interconnectors are a crucial foundation for the EU's internal energy market, and as an increasing amount of energy is produced where the wind blows and the sun shines, the demand for being able to transport electricity over long distances and across borders increases for energy to get to the consumers’ power sockets.
“By upgrading and connecting power grids across Europe’s borders, it becomes possible to make use of the weather-dependent energy from the wind and the sun in a much more effective way.
“Viking Link will bring favourable trading conditions associated with market price differences between Denmark and Great Britain. This will give great benefits for the Danish socio-economy.”
The Viking Link is being hailed as the largest single interconnector in Europe, which is capable of transmitting energy that is generated by three-to-four offshore wind farms.
The project is expected to start in 2019 and could be commissioned by the end of 2022.
Image: The Viking Link interconnector will be capable of transmitting energy equivalent to 3-4 offshore wind farms. Photo: Courtesy of Energinet .
