The world’s first artificial energy island is coming to Belgium

Princess Elisabeth Island, the world's first artificial energy island, will be built off the Belgian coast to act as an electricity hub, harvesting energy from offshore wind farms. It will also serve as a connection point with other European countries to encourage trade in renewable energy.

The first artificial energy island will be built in the north of Belgium.

Named after the Duchess of Brabant, Princess Elisabeth Island will be the world’s first artificial energy island. This pioneering project is an electricity hub to be placed off the Belgian coast in the North Sea. It will collect cables from wind farms in Belgium’s second offshore wind zone, channeling the energy produced to the mainland. It will also serve as a hub connection point between Belgium and other European countries. According to the developers, the island has been designed in a “nature-inclusive” manner in order to foster biodiversity and thereby make a positive contribution to the marine life around it.

Key features of energy island

Located 28 miles (45 km) off the coast of Belgium, at the center of the Princess Elisabeth offshore wind zone, the island will measure 15 acres (6 hectares). It will be founded on concrete caissons filled with sand. The infrastructure will include a small port and a helipad for maintenance personnel. It will also house both high-voltage direct current, or HVDC, and alternating current, HVAC, technologies. The energy hub will manage approximately 37 miles, or 60 km, of HVDC cables and 186 miles, or 300 km, of HVAC cables for efficient energy transmission to the mainland. It will also provide a hub for energy interconnections with neighboring countries, which can help advance a pan-European renewable energy market and regional interconnectivity.

A stepping stone for an integrated european offshore grid

The HOPE project is thus a major experiment that can pave the way toward a fully integrated offshore energy grid in Europe. Interconnecting countries via a network of hybrid interconnectors and energy hubs, Europe can improve energy independence and supply security while fostering a more resilient and sustainable power infrastructure.

Source: Elia Group