Elia Group and Ørsted launch new paper on making hybrids happen and maximising the effectiveness of European offshore wind development

Today, during the WindEurope conference in Bilbao, Elia Group and Ørsted launched a joint paper which aims to help Europe overcome the barriers that are impeding the development of ‘hybrid projects’, which link two or more countries together alongside connecting these with offshore wind farms. The launch was attended by Tinne Van der Straeten, the Belgian Minister of Energy; Lars Aagaard, the Danish Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities; and Ditte Juul Jørgensen, Director General for Energy at the EU Commission. The paper proposes novel approaches to offshore development, including the adoption of regional planning at sea basin level - e.g. the North Sea or the Baltic Sea - and the establishment of Offshore Investment Banks for Europe’s sea basins. Elia Group and Ørsted want to help Europe to harness the full renewable potential of its seas and more effectively distribute the green electricity produced among its countries.