Denmark-UK's Viking Link, world's largest electric cable to turn on soon - Interesting Engineering

Denmark-UK’s Viking Link, world’s largest electric cable to turn on soon
World’s largest electric cable close to power, could light 1.4 million homesA high voltage direct current cable will connect UK homes with fresh green energy from the wind farms of Denmark.Ameya PalejaPublished: Dec 19, 2023 06:32 AM ESTinnovationLaying of the interconnector cable between the UK and Denmark.National Grid Get a daily digest of the latest news in tech, science, and technology, delivered right to your mailbox. Subscribe now.By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Policies You may unsubscribe at any time.Viking Link, the world's largest interconnector, connecting electrical grids in Denmark and the UK using a 475-mile (765 km) undersea cable is days away from being put into operation. The interconnector will go online at reduced capacity and eventually power 1.4 million homes in the UK. Interconnectors enable a quick way to tide over demand-supply fluctuations in an electrical grid. These are especially important in a world where energy comes from renewable sources and is known to be produced intermittently. This is why the EU expects them to play a crucial role in the region's energy security in the future. See Also Related EU energy crisis: Egypt to deliver 3,000 MW of electricity through an 853-mile-long undersea cable Israel kickstarts 93-mile-long undersea electric cable project linking Europe grid The World's Largest Clean Energy Infrastructure Will Power Singapore From Australia The UK has built six interconnectors connecting its mainland with energy grids of countries such as France, Netherlands, Belgium, and Norway thus far. The largest interconnector, Viking Link, has been built between the UK and Denmark and was completed in July this year. Highlights of Viking LinkThe Viking Link project is the collaborative effort between the National Grid in the UK and Danish system operator Energinet. The two billion euro project kicked off in December 2015 with more than three million working hours invested in the planning and execution of the project. Route of the Viking Link InterconnectorEnerginet Construction for the interconnector began in 2019 with the laying of a high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cable made using copper, steel, paper, and plastic on the seabed. The cable crosses through four economic zones in Dutch, German, Danish, and British waters and over 40 other lines carrying gas and electric connections. The project extends from Bicker Fen in Lincolnshire to Jutland In Denmark, with pairs of cables running underground onshore to connect them to existing substations in both countries. Converter stations that can convert electricity from direct current to alternating current (AC) will also be set up near the substations. Operations at reduced capacityThe Viking Link interconnector was planned for a 1,400 MW capacity but will go online at a much-reduced capacity of 800 MW on December 29. Energinet has confirmed. This is due to the non-development of the West Jutland high-voltage grid to its intended capacity so far. The Viking Link project was planned with the inclusion of the West Jutland grid in mind and involved its upgradation to 400kV high-voltage capacity in 2015. While work on the interconnector began in 2019, the substation upgrade underwent a stricter environmental clearance process, which was only recently received. Even though the operation of the Viking Link project depends on the substation in West Jutland, work on its upgradation could not be completed in the same time frame as laying the interconnector. Using the grid in its current state to operate Viking Link at full capacity could risk overloading the facility and also threaten the electric supply in the region. So, even though Danish renewable energy projects have the generation capacity to power 1.4 million homes in the UK with clean, green power, a much smaller number will benefit from the interconnector for now. The facility could be operational at full capacity in the first quarter of 2025. HomeInnovationAdd Interesting Engineering to your Google News feed.Add Interesting Engineering to your Google News feed.SHOW COMMENT (1) For You The hidden barrier: Why most animals don't cross the Wallace LineNASA’s James Webb shows planet Uranus packed with 13 rings, 9 moonsAn astronomer captures the moment Starship's upper stage explodesBarbie dolls lack diversity in medical, scientific field, reveals study500 tremors, 2.4 mile-long volcanic eruptions leave Iceland devastatedUK rocket company edges closer to first sustainable satellite launchApes can recognize family and friends they haven't met in decades3,000-year-old bricks reveal strange events in Earth's magnetic fieldWhy scientists believe the Earth's oceans are losing their blue colorIs carbon capture really a good way to fight climate change? Job Board