The UK government has outlined plans for the construction of an offshore electricity transmission grid along the west coast of Britain, an area rich in renewable resources. The offshore grid would be linked into the mainland national grid.
If the UK wishes to exploit its western renewable resources it will need to upgrade the existing transmission infrastructure. One possibility for achieving this would be an underwater cable linking parts of the western seaboard of Scotland, the north of England, Northern Ireland and western Wales and including, possible the south west of England. An initial study, funded by the Government, will look into the feasibility of such a project. The study will be carried out by PB Power Ltd.
If the study confirms that an interconnector is economically and technically feasible, a second study will examine in more detail cable routings and points of connection with the mainland electricity transmission network. An undersea transmission system would avoid the environmental problems of a land-based system and allow the regional resources to be exploited fully. The UK government is aiming to create a $1.4 billion market for renewable energy by 2010.
