HVDC Interconnectors

[CrofterMannie]

We can confirm preliminary work is already underway as being up at Inverness last week there were several teams of geothermal guys lodging in the Halls of residence along with ourselves and sharing kitchen facilities. I think they were a little surprised when I quizzed them about what they were engaged upon but happy to pass info on otherwise. Geothermal may have been a rather grand term, their expression, as they were mostly engaged on thrusting long canes into the ground establishing the depth of peat in areas being considered for Pylons. It was the Peterhead to Drax link although I'd rather assumed it was overground as opposed to HVDC. Have to confess it's surely a much better outcome, unless your a fisherman perhaps.
Great to see progress happening. The dark clouds of stiffled renewable progress are slowly beginning to recede.

Surely if you met them in Inverness they were working on the Beauly/Blackhillock/Peterhead overhead line.

[Adokforme]

We can confirm preliminary work is already underway as being up at Inverness last week there were several teams of geothermal guys lodging in the Halls of residence along with ourselves and sharing kitchen facilities. I think they were a little surprised when I quizzed them about what they were engaged upon but happy to pass info on otherwise. Geothermal may have been a rather grand term, their expression, as they were mostly engaged on thrusting long canes into the ground establishing the depth of peat in areas being considered for Pylons. It was the Peterhead to Drax link although I'd rather assumed it was overground as opposed to HVDC. Have to confess it's surely a much better outcome, unless your a fisherman perhaps.
Great to see progress happening. The dark clouds of stiffled renewable progress are slowly beginning to recede.

Surely if you met them in Inverness they were working on the Beauly/Blackhillock/Peterhead overhead line.

Their words not mine. Maybe they've worked on both. They were from Edinburgh, but spend the week at Inverness, having weekends off. Eight hour days too. Didn't like to interrogate them further.

[dan_b]

Greenlink Interconnector update - all cabling is now complete and actual system testing to begin in the next few weeks.

This is a 0.5GW HVDC link between Wales and Ireland.

[Adokforme]

Greenlink Interconnector update - all cabling is now complete and actual system testing to begin in the next few weeks.

This is a 0.5GW HVDC link between Wales and Ireland.

Thanks @dan_b, another one added to the list.

[dan_b]

Well well well.

Remember the assumed dead HVDC link from Iceland to the UK from years ago?
Just like in horror movies it appears it wasn't killed off entirely after all and is back for the 3rd act murder spree.

Well, it looks like plans have been upgraded for it to be a 1.8GW connection, seabed surveys have been completed and there is money behind it. Wonder if it'll get built after all? Stranger things have happened.

https://www.offshore-energy.biz/atlanti ... o-iceland/

[Oliver90owner]

Wonder if it'll get built after all?

I hope so!

[Mart]

Massively out of date now, but I recall the suggested CfD for the Iceland link was ~£85/MWh. Assuming that hasn't changed (CfD's are index-linked, so ~£120/MWh today), then it would be quite expensive v's PV and wind, but comparable to / cheaper than nuclear, and of course wouldn't be intermittent, so it may have a chance.

TBH, it was that £85/MWh I recall reading, v's the ~£20/MWh for the cheap Icelandic leccy, that left me doubtful of the Morocco to UK link, as it showed just how expensive the subsea cabling costs would be. But .... apologies for so much guessing ..... if the Morocco link is viable and affordable, then I'm left assuming that the HVDC cabling costs have fallen over time?


Both of these schemes excite me immensely, so I remain largely negative, just to avoid the disappointment - whilst quietly grinning and keeping my fingers and toes crossed.

[dan_b]

My reason for assuming it was dead was two-fold - there was considerable opposition in Iceland on environmental and cost grounds, and also what was at the time a seemingly ridiculously long sub-sea cable route.

Since it was first mooted, well there have been several rather long HVDC interconnectors built since then, which shows the distance is no longer the issue, so maybe resistance to the idea has diminished in Iceland too? Or maybe the money has just become more available?

s

[Adokforme]

Or maybe the money has just become more available?

It may well be dan_b as I keep hearing that there are almost inexhaustible funds available for investment given a stable long term platform.
Have to confess that I'm not entirely convinced about the latter or indeed what parameters are used to assess it!

[Krill]

Stable long term platform is investment speak for guaranteed minimum return to investors (and they will take the extra profit if available as well, thank you very much)