to meet the majority of their energy demands. Countries like England, Scotland, and Norway are tapping into the winds of the North Sea as part of their renewable energy approach.Belgium-based Elia also plans to build an energy island in the North Sea as a means to connect its offshore wind farms in the Princess Elisabeth Zone to its mainland. Located 28 miles , the Princes Elisabeth Zone is Belgium's second offshore wind zone and has a planned capacity of 3.5 GW.
Spread over an area of 108.5 square miles , the zone consists of three separate areas which will host theoff the Belgian coast. The energy island planned by Elia will centralize energy produced by Belgian offshore wind farms and supply it to the mainland via undersea cables. Additionally, it also aims to become the landing point for two hybrid interconnectors between the U.K. and Denmark, a company press release said.
The island will also feature a port and helipad that will allow staff to visit and carry out maintenance activities. Electricity transmission infrastructure, such as AC substations, will also be built to minimize energy losses. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2024 and is expected to be completed by 2026. Connections with wind farms and the mainland are scheduled to be completed by 2030.