TM EDISON, a joint venture between DEME and Jan De Nul, has secured the tender to build the world’s first artificial energy island offshore from Belgium.The venture has been awarded an engineering, procurement, construction and installation contract by Belgian transmission system operator Elia. 

The scope of the contract includes the design and construction of the Princess Elisabeth Island in the Belgian part of the North Sea.The Princess Elisabeth Island will become the world’s first artificial energy island and integrate direct current (HVDC) with alternating current (HVAC).

Contracts will later be awarded for a high-voltage infrastructure that will transfer the electricity from Belgium’s future offshore wind zone to shore.This infrastructure will combine the wind farm export cables of the 3.5GW Princess Elisabeth zone and act as a hub to connect Belgium with the UK and Denmark.

The energy island will be located around 45km from the coast, with the electrical infrastructure to be installed on an area of around 6ha.

Foundation works for the Princess Elisabeth Island are scheduled to begin next year and will continue until August 2026. Elia plans to connect all the wind farms to the mainland by 2030.

Source: Power Technology

Image: State of Green