The European Commission has appointed Ecofys and RPS to prepare a Baseline Environmental Assessment for a meshed grid in the Irish and North Seas.
The results may be used to inform any future plans for renewable energy generation, energy storage, power cables and associated equipment in the North and Irish Seas.
Focussing on Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, the research aims to compile an environmental baseline including maps, constraints, risks, impacts, ways of mitigation and alternatives. The Baseline Environmental Report will also determine the effects (positive and negative) of several future energy and grid scenarios for 2030.
Member States and environmental parties have been invited to provide feedback to the different grid scenarios for 2030 and the scoping report. Apart from organising stakeholder meetings, Ecofys developed a project website ( BEAGINS.eu ) to collect feedback and share documents and maps.
The development of an offshore energy system in the North and Irish Seas represents a significant opportunity towards meeting the EU’s energy, environmental, growth and employment objectives. The region has a vast renewable energy potential that could provide a significant share of Europe’s power supply by 2030. In addition, this regional energy system could also contribute to the further integration of the electricity market in Northwest Europe which would be an important step towards a single European electricity market and improved energy security within the EU.