Luxembourg does not have a coastline, but it intends to have a say in European energy choices. At the North Sea Summit held in Hamburg on Monday 26 January, Creos Luxembourg voiced its support for the recommendations of the Offshore TSO Collaboration (OTC) in favour of an integrated offshore electricity grid.

The stakes are high. North Sea wind could supply up to 1,000 terawatt hours of electricity by 2050, or almost 40% of European consumption. To achieve this, grid operators are calling for a change of model: moving away from isolated national connections and developing hybrid infrastructures capable of linking several countries and several wind farms.

To achieve this objective, the OTC believes that "close cooperation between countries and an integrated offshore network will be necessary in order to efficiently connect offshore wind farms and allow all countries to benefit". The organisation therefore recommends moving from "point-to-point" national links to "versatile hybrid connections that can link offshore wind farms to several countries and strengthen the European grid as a whole".

A political commitment

Although Luxembourg has no offshore infrastructure, it "actively participates in the OTC" and is "currently the only country without infrastructures to take part in this collaboration". Creos is working alongside "eleven other European transmission system operators", underlining the Grand Duchy's role in "developing common European solutions", explains the press release from Luxembourg's electricity and natural gas network operator.

"As an importing country, Luxembourg has a vested interest in a coordinated European offshore strategy that supports efficient infrastructure development, fair cost allocation and long-term benefits for all participating countries," adds Creos CEO Laurence Zenner. "Luxembourg may not be a coastal country, but our energy system is closely linked to that of our neighbours."

Creos contributed in particular to the CTA's expert paper IV, devoted to "cost sharing and financing of cross-border offshore infrastructure". This highlights "transparent approaches that align costs with system benefits", as well as "the value of rapidly agreeing cost-sharing principles" and using "a flexible funding toolbox".

Luxembourg's commitment was also evident at a political level, with the participation of Prime Minister Luc Frieden (CSV) and Minister for the Economy and Energy Lex Delles (DP) at the Hamburg summit. Through this cooperation, Creos supports "the development of an integrated offshore network in the North Sea", presented as "an essential element of a resilient and climate-neutral European energy system".