Wind energy firm bids for €22bn supergrid

AIRTRICITY, the Irish-owned wind energy company, has launched its bid to get EU backing for a €22 billion off-shore supergrid.

However, they admitted the biggest obstacles are EU Governments’ tendency to protect their national monopoly energy providers.

Airtricity chief executive Eddie O’Connor outlined the plan to members of the European Parliament in Brussels yesterday and asked for their support.

“We need the Parliament’s help to create a level playing field and convince national governments to support this,” said Mr O’Connor.

Creating a supergrid linking up wind farms built in the seas off Ireland, Britain, Germany and Norway and in the Baltic would ensure a continuous supply of electricity, he said.

“A supergrid transforms the nature of wind power,” he said.

“It would cover an area of over 5,000km and studies show the wind would be blowing in some part of the system at all times.”

The main problem is to overcome the vested interests in various member states, said Mr O’Connor.

“If you put the customer first and want to deliver cheaper power then this obstacle can be overcome.”

The first step is to develop a 10GW foundation project with 2,000 wind turbines and the grid costing €4bn which would produce sufficient energy for eight million homes. It would be located between Britain, Germany and the Netherlands and cover 3,000 square kilometres. Building could begin in 2010 with the full 10GW coming on stream gradually over five years.

However, Airtricity says political support from the three countries and from the EU is essential.

Irish Fine Gael MEPs Avril Doyle and Simon Coveney who organised the hearing supported the proposal from Airtricity and ABB technology.

The EU imports 50% of its energy needs and this is due to increase to 70% in 2030, while at the same time they have pledged to reduce greenhouse gasses.

Ms Doyle said: “The creation of a state-of-the-art wind energy supergrid stretching from the Baltic Sea to the Atlantic Ocean, would contribute substantially towards addressing the economic and environmental imperatives set down in the EU’s current target to include 22% of green electricity in the mix by 2010.”

The European Commission is taking Ireland to court because of the failure to allow Airtricity put its wind energy on the national grid.

EU leaders in March agreed they need a common energy policy but could not agree on opening up the market EU wide and refused to contemplate having a pan European energy regulator.