The Dutch climate and green growth minister, Sophie Hermans, has incorporated LionLink, expected to be the first direct-current hybrid connector, within the latest offshore wind energy development framework. LionLink will utilise the offshore grid connection of Nederwiek 3 offshore wind farm in the Netherlands to connect the Dutch and the UK onshore high-voltage grids.

The interconnector will also be a high-voltage link to transfer electricity between the Netherlands and the UK. With LionLink now incorporated within the offshore wind development framework, TenneT can proceed with investments in the project, which the Dutch Transmission system operator (TSO) has recognised through a close partnership with UK business National Grid Ventures (NGV).

Before the hybrid interconnector can proceed, several steps are required, including a decision by the Ministry of Climate and Green Growth on the specifics of the market design for wind farm developers in the tender plans for Nederwiek 3. Additionally, new plans for market coupling between the UK and the UK are required to streamline the operations of the new interconnector.

The offshore wind development tender for Nederwiek 3 is planned to be introduced in 2026 when the Dutch Government will also announce the Nederwiek 2 site and the Nederwiek 1B site, where tendering was postponed.

The LionLink project launched in 2023 when the Netherlands and the UK announced plans to develop LionLink and stated that this would be one of the first electricity links to connect offshore wind between the two nations via interconnectors. Not long after this development, National Grid Lion Link Limited applied for the electricity interconnectors with UK energy regulator Ofgem, requesting a license to enable it to proceed with the operation of the interconnector in the UK.

In June 2023, TenneT contracted GEOxyz to perform geophysical and geotechnical surveys for the export cable routing required for the Nederwiek 3 offshore wind site and last year, Next Geosolutions commenced their cable routing surveys for the LinkLink connector in the UK.

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