3 ms·

The good thing about this is that its bidirectional, so can be used to offload ~4.2% of the total generation capacity of the UK, or should they need it, import

The good thing about this is that its bidirectional, so can be used to offload ~4.2% of the total generation capacity of the UK, or should they need it, import that amount. That should also cut the tops and bottoms off the spot price of electricity.

zeristor 3y ago
A large amount of wind power generation is in Scotland, four further interconnects are being built to transfer this to SE England, but it’ll take a while.
- KaiserPro 3y ago
  indeed! there is a bottleneck between scotland and england in terms of grid capacity that needs to be solved. Its not cheap, and probably not as lucrative.
dukeyukey 3y ago
Which could theoretically supply nearly half of Denmark's electricity demand, at peak transfer.
- silvestrov 3y ago
  No. The connection is 1.4 GW and Denmark typically use 4 to 5 GW. See https://energinet.dk/ https://energinet.dk/ (scroll down to map at look at "FORBRUG I DK")
askvictor 3y ago
What are the reasons why an interconnect might be uni directional? I get that a DC interconnect might only go in one direction at a time, but might it not be able to change such direction that is?
- tomatocracy 3y ago
  Regulation and tax are big ones. The ElecLink UK/France interconnector was significantly delayed due to disagreements in how it should be regulated and taxed. Similarly, things like the EU Carbon Border Adjustment mechanism have the potential to make it unprofitable to import electricity into the EU without affecting exports (because even significant price discrepancies would be swallowed up by the additional carbon tax which might be imposed). (In the case of the UK the EU will likely agree to waive the carbon tax but it's not certain even there).
  - KaiserPro 3y ago
    I think we've agreed to align with the EU on carbon tax: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-uk-levy-to-level-carbon-pricing https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-uk-levy-to-level-carb...
    - tomatocracy 3y ago
      Yes. My understanding is that this depends on the eventual form of the UK carbon border tax though.

zeristor 3y ago

A large amount of wind power generation is in Scotland, four further interconnects are being built to transfer this to SE England, but it’ll take a while.

KaiserPro 3y ago
indeed! there is a bottleneck between scotland and england in terms of grid capacity that needs to be solved. Its not cheap, and probably not as lucrative.

dukeyukey 3y ago

Which could theoretically supply nearly half of Denmark's electricity demand, at peak transfer.

silvestrov 3y ago
No. The connection is 1.4 GW and Denmark typically use 4 to 5 GW. See https://energinet.dk/ https://energinet.dk/ (scroll down to map at look at "FORBRUG I DK")

askvictor 3y ago

What are the reasons why an interconnect might be uni directional? I get that a DC interconnect might only go in one direction at a time, but might it not be able to change such direction that is?

tomatocracy 3y ago
Regulation and tax are big ones. The ElecLink UK/France interconnector was significantly delayed due to disagreements in how it should be regulated and taxed. Similarly, things like the EU Carbon Border Adjustment mechanism have the potential to make it unprofitable to import electricity into the EU without affecting exports (because even significant price discrepancies would be swallowed up by the additional carbon tax which might be imposed). (In the case of the UK the EU will likely agree to waive the carbon tax but it's not certain even there).
- KaiserPro 3y ago
  I think we've agreed to align with the EU on carbon tax: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-uk-levy-to-level-carbon-pricing https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-uk-levy-to-level-carb...
  - tomatocracy 3y ago
    Yes. My understanding is that this depends on the eventual form of the UK carbon border tax though.