Water flowing from mountains to fjords in Norway will soon be helping power British homes, as the world’s longest “interconnector” hooks up the two countries’ grids.
Energy Voice 21st June 2019 read more »
Water flowing from mountains to fjords in Norway will soon be helping power British homes, as the world’s longest “interconnector” hooks up the two countries’ grids. The 447-mile (720km) cable being laid between the UK and Norwayis one of a series of grid connections with other countries that will help reduce carbon emissions from the British power sector by 17% by 2030, National Grid said. On the edge of a peaceful lake at Kvilldal, western Norway, a converter station is being built which will enable cheap electricity generated by a hydro power plant situated deep inside the Norwegian hillside to be transmitted to the UK. The £1.8 billion collaboration between National Grid and Statnett will also allow extra power from British renewables to be “stored” in Norway’s vast Blasjo reservoir, known as Europe’s green battery. The reservoir, constructed with a series of dams high up in mountains capped with snow and lakes, stores water from rainfall and snow melt as part of a vast hydropower network with a 770 square mile (2,000 sq km) catchment. When power is needed, water is released from the reservoir through pipes to hydropower plants, generating electricity by turning turbines as it flows down towards the lake and fjord below.
ITV 20th June 2019 read more »