UK electricity system operator (ESO) National Grid has published a £58 billion (€68 billion) investment plan it says could see 21GW of additional offshore wind integrated by 2035 and the country’s offshore wind total reaching up to 86GW.
The plan builds on the country’s existing 'pathway to 2030 holistic network design' (HND) grid plan, which will connect 23GW of offshore wind and help deliver the UK’s 50GW by 2030 offshore wind target.
The extra 21GW of wind in the new Beyond 2030 plan is in development off the coast of Scotland (under the ScotWind leasing mechanism). Integrating this, along with nuclear, would enable the UK to fully decarbonise by end 2035 in line with the current government’s goal, the ESO said.
The extra energy generated would be transported via a new electrical spine across Scotland and north England, although the ESO notes this is “an early-stage option which will require further consideration and consultation”.
Widely welcomed by the industry, the Beyond 2030 plan also recommends further “offshore bootstraps” along the east coast of Britain, with three times more undersea cabling than onshore.
Further design optimisation, innovation and community engagement will be undertaken to ensure that the needs of different communities and wider economic and system security needs are balanced, the ESO said. It called for “swift and coordinated action” across the energy sector, government, the regulator and communities to deliver the network infrastructure in time.
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