3E, Alstom Grid, CG Power Systems, CMI, DEME Blue Energy, Eurogrid International and SAG, Sign a Preliminary Cooperation Agreement to Foster the Development of Future Offshore Grids in Europe

Seven European companies active in the electricity transmission industry, including system operations development, financing, installation, operation and maintenance of such systems, and/or of renewable energy generation signed on December 9 a preliminary cooperation agreement aiming at bundling competences and strengths to actively contribute to the development of future offshore grid infrastructure, more specifically in the North and Baltic Seas, the English Channel, the Celtic Sea and the Irish Sea.

3E, Alstom Grid, CG Power Systems, CMI, DEME Blue Energy, Eurogrid International (a holding company of Elia and IFM), and SAG are each in their specific areas actively involved in enabling the development and  integration of renewable energy, especially offshore wind and wave and tidal energy, in regard of the European energy and climate protection targets.

The seven companies are now joining forces to boost the development of appropriate transmission infrastructure for the integration of renewable energy generated at sea.

In particular, they wish to work out opportunities together for jointly developing, operating and investing in targeted projects in the North and Baltic Seas, the English Channel, the Celtic Sea and the Irish Sea, in addition to providing joint combined services, products and investments to develop, operate and maintain the required marine infrastructure.

The cooperation agreement demonstrates the strong support of each company for the initiatives already taken by the European, national and/or regional authorities to enhance the development of offshore wind generation and shows the willingness of the sector to proactively and clearly contribute to the “North Seas Countries Offshore Grid Initiative”, the Memory of Understanding recently signed by the Ministers of the North Seas Countries: Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

[mappress]

Source: hugin, December 13, 2010