Establishing an offshore meshed grid : Policy and regulatory aspects and barriers in the Baltic Sea Region

Building on the Baltic InteGrid report European and national offshore wind energy policy in the Baltic Sea region: a regional status report, this report closely examines the policy and legal frameworks relevant to transmission grid development and offshore wind energy (OWE) production in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR). It provides an overview of legal and institutional inventory, including of relevant stakeholders, and outlines the stages of transmission and generation projects from abstract planning to concrete development. The various types of electricity transmission cables are identified, as well as the legal status of each type. Legal and policy challenges posed by the current institutional frame- work are analysed at national and EU level on the basis of prior Baltic InteGrid research.

The report identifies key challenges in the development process, beginning in the planning phase. The authorisation process for offshore cables is regulated at a national level and often demands more than one permit, particularly in a cross-border context. The development of offshore wind farm (OWF) projects generally necessitates complex and lengthy permitting procedures. Such requirements may deter investment by increasing the administrative burden associated with a meshed offshore transmission grid.

The planning, construction, and operation of OWFs and related infrastructure could have a number of negative socio-economic effects, such as damage to the environment or human health, property, or heritage assets. Public engagement in early project stages is necessary to build local support and increase positive attitudes towards OWFs. Planning processes permitting a participatory approach, such as environmental impact assessments, do not always ensure that all relevant interests are balanced, nor do they always succeed in securing support from the affected communities or sectors. Therefore, regulatory frame- works should provide sufficient incentives for winning acceptance and remain flexible enough to account for varied stakeholder interests.

Finally, there are complicated legal and regulatory issues associated with a meshed grid configuration in which cables are used simultaneously as interconnectors and park-to-shore cables. These issues should be addressed by an adequate regulatory framework that can accommodate constellations more complex than radial connections and single interconnections between national transmission systems.