Baltic Sea grid operators present offshore roadmap

13.05.2025

Source: E & M powernews

Eight transmission system operators from countries bordering the Baltic Sea have presented a roadmap for a resilient offshore power grid in Warsaw. They are calling for a security plan.

At a meeting of energy ministers in Warsaw on May 12, eight transmission system operators (TSOs) from countries bordering the Baltic Sea presented a joint roadmap. It includes the development of a cross-border offshore electricity grid and the coordinated planning and expansion of offshore wind energy infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. The conference was hosted by Polish Energy Minister Paulina Hennig-Kloska and Dan Jorgensen, Danish EU Commissioner for Energy and Housing.

At the meeting, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Katherina Reiche (CDU) reaffirmed the new German government's desire for greater European cooperation in energy policy: "Security of supply is essential - the recent blackout on the Iberian Peninsula has made this unmistakably clear to us all." A reality check for reliable and affordable energy in Europe is therefore necessary.

Reiche called on her counterparts to work together to strengthen supply chains for energy raw materials, reduce dependencies on third countries and enable innovation. "A Europe that is open to technology has every opportunity in terms of energy policy, and that applies to renewables and batteries as well as CO2 storage and hydrogen," said the Minister.

The TSO roadmap is the result of cooperation within the framework of the Baltic Offshore Grid Initiative (Bogi). This initiative includes the TSOs 50 Hertz (Germany), AST (Latvia), Elering (Estonia), Energinet (Denmark), Fingrid (Finland), Litgrid (Lithuania), PSE (Poland) and Svenska Kraftnät (Sweden). Bogi aims to jointly develop the potential of offshore wind energy in the Baltic Sea. At present, less than 5,000 MW of lines have been installed there. The TSOs estimate the technically and economically viable potential at around 93,000 MW.

Infrastructure protection required

Central aspects of the published expert paper are the safety and protection of maritime infrastructure. The operators expect that the accelerated expansion of offshore wind energy in the Baltic Sea region will provide new impetus for investments in production facilities. According to the companies involved, this will also create employment effects along the entire value chain.

The document builds on the Vilnius Declaration, which was signed on April 10, 2024. In it, the Baltic Sea states agreed on joint expansion targets, among other things: 26,700 MW of offshore capacity is to be installed by 2030 and almost 45,000 MW by 2040. With this declaration, the governments had given the TSOs a mandate to intensify their cooperation.

Linking grid connections

The paper analyzes specific grid options, such as point-to-point interconnectors, in which power lines connect two countries directly, hybrid interconnectors involving several countries in one wind farm and cross-border radial connections. These options are graphically depicted in the Baltic Sea Grid Map, which was also presented.

In addition, the TSOs address challenges such as possible lag effects for closely spaced wind farms, financing gaps due to rising project costs and supply chain bottlenecks. Recommended measures include coordinated regional planning along the lines of the Scandinavian "Nordel" master plan, the targeted use of European subsidies and the involvement of private investors.

The aim of the roadmap is to create the regulatory, planning and economic conditions for a common offshore electricity grid and thus contribute to security of supply and the transformation of the European energy system.

Author: Susanne Harmsen