Belgium is constructing the world's first artificial island to harness offshore wind

[zohaibahd]

In a nutshell: Belgium is constructing a massive artificial island in the North Sea to enhance its renewable energy capabilities. Set to be completed by 2027, the island, dubbed Princess Elisabeth, will integrate an impressive 3.5 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity into the Belgian power grid. That's enough clean electricity to power over three million homes.

The €650 million ($702 million) project is being funded by the European Investment Bank, which recently finalized a green credit deal with Belgian transmission operator Elia to kick off the first phase. This initiative is a key part of the EU's ambitious REPowerEU plan to phase out fossil fuels and fully commit to sustainable energy.

The island will be constructed approximately 45 kilometers off the Belgian coast within the Princess Elisabeth wind zone.

In addition to renewable energy generation, the island is designed to serve as an energy trading hub for the entire continent. The plan includes specialized "hybrid interconnector" transmission lines that will link the island with neighboring countries. These hybrid lines will integrate with the wind farms, enabling two-way energy flows.

The island's foundations will be made of massive concrete caissons currently being constructed in the Netherlands. These structures will be towed out and essentially dropped onto the seabed, then filled with sand to support the artificial landmass and the energy infrastructure on top.

Speaking of the infrastructure, converter stations will be built on the island to accommodate different high-voltage cable systems – both high-voltage direct current (HVDC) and alternating current (HVAC). This unique implementation makes the island the first of its kind; in fact, Elia claims it will be the "world's first artificial energy island."

Additionally, the island is designed to actively promote biodiversity and marine life around its perimeter.

Belgium has been working to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels for years, having phased out coal-fired power generation in 2016. Currently, the country's primary source of electricity is nuclear power, which accounted for over 40 percent of power production in 2023. However, gas – largely imported – still makes up 21 percent of the country's power mix. The new island is expected to provide a significant boost to Belgium's aspirations to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.

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Belgium is constructing the world's first artificial island to harness offshore wind

 

[imdarkbreeze]

Jebus, you guys are getting to be as bad as TH on erroneous click bait-ish articles.

China and Abu Dhabi have been building artificial islands for YEARS, ACTUAL artificial islands, not just floating structures. It's great, but it's definitely not a first.

 

[Bone fletcher]

Pray that Godzilla won't drain that power grid in the middle of ocean

 

[user556]

Never mind the hype, why do this at all? What's wrong with extending existing solutions?

 

[PerMadani]

Jebus, you guys are getting to be as bad as TH on erroneous click bait-ish articles.

China and Abu Dhabi have been building artificial islands for YEARS, ACTUAL artificial islands, not just floating structures. It's great, but it's definitely not a first.

world's first artificial energy island...notice the difference?

 

[Karlos95]

Think of the whales

 

[imdarkbreeze]

world's first artificial energy island...notice the difference?

No.

 

[MasterAce]

Funny how it’s called ”sustainable energy” when it’s constantly going up and down with weather.

 

[PanGrns]

Never mind the hype, why do this at all? What's wrong with extending existing solutions?

I hope to stop burn forest in Greece for planting useless windmill.

 

[PanGrns]

Funny how it’s called ”sustainable energy” when it’s constantly going up and down with weather.

Up and Down is a way to create electric energy, from waves.

 

[MasterAce]

Up and Down is a way to create electric energy, from waves.

Well one day we have electricity at 0.1c / kwh and on other day 1€ / kwh, not the sort of waves that generate power. Unless we could harnes the power of wallets opening and closing…

 

[YetAnotherDev]

Jebus, you guys are getting to be as bad as TH on erroneous click bait-ish articles.

China and Abu Dhabi have been building artificial islands for YEARS, ACTUAL artificial islands, not just floating structures. It's great, but it's definitely not a first.

The Aztecs and Ancient Egyptians too. The idea of creating, or expanding, land to make more real estate has been around for millennia.

 

[DrSuess]

Never mind the hype, why do this at all? What's wrong with extending existing solutions?

Not doing anything will end up being more expensive in the end, the current solutions are finite and cost will only increase with competition and scarcity and consequence will only increase with time. The smart move is to invest in finding new and better alternate solution now.

 

[Kashim]

Funny how it’s called ”sustainable energy” when it’s constantly going up and down with weather.

Funny how people who don't actually understand how sustainable energy works always make uneducated comments like this. Let me guess, windmills cause cancer too, right?

 

[mbk34]

Never mind the hype, why do this at all? What's wrong with extending existing solutions?

I wonder the same. Why can't they just use an offshore transformer to transmit the power to shore? Maybe they need higher voltage for HVDC lines which are more efficient? You'd think the article would explain why they built it.

Funny how it’s called ”sustainable energy” when it’s constantly going up and down with weather.

The aim is to supply the power when it's available to where it's needed. The aim is to store excess electricity in (probably pumped hydro) batteries to balance the load for when the wind isn't blowing and the sun ain't shining. 30% of the UK's electricity came from wind last year and we're currently increasing the number of wind farms. The last coal station in the UK was turned off a few months back.

It's always strange to me how Americans deny climate change. I'm guessing because the coal, oil and motor businesses have such large lobbies that they can control the media. I think even NASA in 2016 was forced to stop proving information on climate change otherwise their funding would be cut. It's sadly quite real on this side of the pond though, my brother lives outside Valencia and just yesterday they had a years worth of rain in 8 hours. I think 100 people died.

 

[kiwigraeme]

Think of the Whales - Trump aka The Whale Psychologist has said since the advent of Windmills Whale strandings have increased massively from nearly none. All the whales in NZ that beach every year can see the future

Looks like the Dutch are going to have blubber on their hands if those atheists can get their fingers out of the dykes

Meanwhile USA Navy will continue to pay lip service to reducing ocean noise that actually does interfere with marine life

 

[MasterAce]

I wonder the same. Why can't they just use an offshore transformer to transmit the power to shore? Maybe they need higher voltage for HVDC lines which are more efficient? You'd think the article would explain why they built it.

The aim is to supply the power when it's available to where it's needed. The aim is to store excess electricity in (probably pumped hydro) batteries to balance the load for when the wind isn't blowing and the sun ain't shining. 30% of the UK's electricity came from wind last year and we're currently increasing the number of wind farms. The last coal station in the UK was turned off a few months back.

It's always strange to me how Americans deny climate change. I'm guessing because the coal, oil and motor businesses have such large lobbies that they can control the media. I think even NASA in 2016 was forced to stop proving information on climate change otherwise their funding would be cut. It's sadly quite real on this side of the pond though, my brother lives outside Valencia and just yesterday they had a years worth of rain in 8 hours. I think 100 people died.

We have tons of windpower in Finland, then they use hydroelectric to try and balance but there is 5x more wind than hydro. Battery stations have been in news lately but they are often connected to private grids etc. and also very small scale. And on those freezing winter days, when most power is needed for heating, it never winds. On a windy day our power is 50% wind, but when it doesn’t wind it’s difficult to replace 50% of production.

 

[Art C]

A nuclear reactor would have been a better investment.

 

[mbk34]

We have tons of windpower in Finland, then they use hydroelectric to try and balance but there is 5x more wind than hydro. Battery stations have been in news lately but they are often connected to private grids etc. and also very small scale. And on those freezing winter days, when most power is needed for heating, it never winds. On a windy day our power is 50% wind, but when it doesn’t wind it’s difficult to replace 50% of production.

Finland is fairly flat so it's not suited to pumped hydro storage. Could you come to an agreement with Norway to build a hydro storage battery there and perhaps give free wind power when you have excess? Or maybe use sand batteries to turn the excess electricity into long term heat and then heat buildings when needed. There was an article on here regards sand batteries, I think they're fairly cheap but you need the right architecture to utilise it. Alternatively just add high voltage interconnectors with other countries and export electricity when you have too much and import when too little.

A nuclear reactor would have been a better investment.

I like nuclear power but large scale reactors take decades to build. If a government starts down this route then it risks losing votes because of the huge costs and because no-one wants them on their doorstep. Getting the benefits of cheap electricity only comes into play long after the original government has left office. SMRs may be the answer but they aren't proving profitable at the moment.

 

[passingposeidon]

We have tons of windpower in Finland, then they use hydroelectric to try and balance but there is 5x more wind than hydro. Battery stations have been in news lately but they are often connected to private grids etc. and also very small scale. And on those freezing winter days, when most power is needed for heating, it never winds. On a windy day our power is 50% wind, but when it doesn’t wind it’s difficult to replace 50% of production.

Can you provide any kind of a source for this? Because a fairly quick google search suggests you are completely wrong. Wind Power was 14.1% of the power gen in Finland in 2022, whilst hydro was 16.3% and the highest was Nuclear with 29.7%. Source: treasuryfinland.fi

 

[MasterAce]

Can you provide any kind of a source for this? Because a fairly quick google search suggests you are completely wrong. Wind Power was 14.1% of the power gen in Finland in 2022, whilst hydro was 16.3% and the highest was Nuclear with 29.7%. Source: treasuryfinland.fi

I have this power price tracking app. Right now consumption is 11 300 MW and just yesterday peak wind production was 6200 MW. Nuclear produces around 4000 MW 24/7 and the rest is covered with a mixture of other sources. Hydro never goes past 2500MW or so. If it doesn’t wind we import up to 30% and prices go trough the roof.

 

[mbk34]

I have this power price tracking app. Right now consumption is 11 300 MW and just yesterday peak wind production was 6200 MW. Nuclear produces around 4000 MW 24/7 and the rest is covered with a mixture of other sources. Hydro never goes past 2500MW or so. If it doesn’t wind we import up to 30% and prices go trough the roof.

It would be a bit more informative to know percentage over the year (actually I googled it and 14% of your electricity is generated by wind - OK but not great). Hydro power is probably just from river dams so the amount of water flowing won't change that much day to day. I did check the price of electricity in Finland and it's less than half that in the UK. You should be thankful.

 

[MasterAce]

It would be a bit more informative to know percentage over the year (actually I googled it and 14% of your electricity is generated by wind - OK but not great). Hydro power is probably just from river dams so the amount of water flowing won't change that much day to day. I did check the price of electricity in Finland and it's less than half that in the UK. You should be thankful.

That’s the point, averaging it all together over a year hides the fact that there are mad price fluctuations. The installed capacity of wind is 50% of total production, yet we only get 14% over a year. People are cutting the main power in their houses to get over the price spikes. So it’s funny to call it sustainable when half of the time it doesn’t even work

 

[mbk34]

That’s the point, averaging it all together over a year hides the fact that there are mad price fluctuations. The installed capacity of wind is 50% of total production, yet we only get 14% over a year. People are cutting the main power in their houses to get over the price spikes. So it’s funny to call it sustainable when half of the time it doesn’t even work

The plan in Finland is to go from 14% of electricity a year to over 60% by 2030. They're just passing new laws at the moment to allow offshore windfarms further out to sea. It sounds like they need to install grid batteries to smooth the flow of electricity or use interconnectors to other countries to balance out the flow. It also sounds like you need to update your home billing system so people aren't affected by day to day spikes. Maybe your country should offer tax incentives to grid scale battery companies?

I found an interesting site showing how UK power is being generated on a moment by moment basis. It's a bad day here for green energy here in the UK as there's no wind and it's completely overcast (here in London anyway) yet we're still getting 20% from wind so I guess there's more wind on the coast and we're also getting 14% from nuclear and 20% from our interconnectors to various countries nearby.

National Grid: Live

Shows the live status of Great Britain’s electric power transmission network

grid.iamkate.com

 

[MasterAce]

The plan in Finland is to go from 14% of electricity a year to over 60% by 2030. They're just passing new laws at the moment to allow offshore windfarms further out to sea. It sounds like they need to install grid batteries to smooth the flow of electricity or use interconnectors to other countries to balance out the flow. It also sounds like you need to update your home billing system so people aren't affected by day to day spikes. Maybe your country should offer tax incentives to grid scale battery companies?

I found an interesting site showing how UK power is being generated on a moment by moment basis. It's a bad day here for green energy here in the UK as there's no wind and it's completely overcast (here in London anyway) yet we're still getting 20% from wind so I guess there's more wind on the coast and we're also getting 14% from nuclear and 20% from our interconnectors to various countries nearby.

National Grid: Live

Shows the live status of Great Britain’s electric power transmission network

grid.iamkate.com

Yeah there was a big contrversy as people got stuck on multiyear contracts on very high prices just around the energy crisis. So the monthly billing contracts are very much out of fashion.

I can totally believe the politicians will increase wind power with little care for the consequences, all they care about are those annual reports. To me it sounds like things are only getting worse. Maybe we will have rolling blackouts in future.