We are primarily tasked with providing power transmission services, system services and facilitating the energy market. Our core tasks follow from our appointment as grid operator under the Dutch 'Elektriciteitswet' (E-wet) and the German 'Energiewirtschaftsgesetz' (EnWG).
TenneT presents Hub and Spoke concept for large scale wind energy on the North Sea.
Read moreTenneT manages the high-voltage grid in the Netherlands and large parts of Germany. TenneT transmits electricity at 110,000 volts (110 kV) and higher. With over 22,500 kilometres of high-voltage lines, we cross borders and connect countries.
The energy sector is developing rapidly. The process of European market integration began some years ago. Its purpose is to create a single European market that enables market parties to trade gas and electricity across national borders easily and efficiently.
We provide transparency data on our operations on our Dutch and German transparency page and on ENTSO-E.
To transparency pagesOur vision is to be one of the most transparent Transmission System Operators (TSO) in Europe and thereby creating value for society. In this Energy Insights section we present selected energy related topics and show data, information and valuable insights.
TenneT is a leading European electricity transmission system operator (TSO), with activities in the Netherlands and in Germany. We strive to ensure a reliable and uninterrupted supply of electricity in our high-voltage grid for some 41 million people.
Maximum performance at sea and on land
In order for the wind power generated at sea to be fed into the transmission grid, the offshore wind farms must be connected to the mainland. This involves a great deal of technical effort and extensive work. For the electricity produced in the North Sea to be transported to consumers, maximum technical performance at sea and on land is required. The individual offshore projects in the North Sea are connected to the power grid using either three-phase or direct current technology. Smaller wind farms near the coast in particular are usually connected directly to the mainland via three-phase power cables.
However, the majority of offshore wind farms are located in the middle of the North Sea and far from the mainland. The distance to the coast is often more than 100 kilometres. TenneT uses direct current cables to ensure that the wind power produced in large quantities can be transported over this distance with as little loss as possible and fed into the extra-high voltage grid on land. With only one positive and one negative pole each, this technology is gentle on nature and allows a narrow route to be built on land.
On its journey from the North Sea to the mainland, the elektricity passes through several stations. The three-phase current generated in the offshore wind farms is first collected in the transformer station of the wind farm operator. From there, it is forwarded to the converter platform at sea via a three-phase current cable. There, the wind power is converted from three-phase to direct current so that it can be transported ashore with as little loss as possible. At the same time, the current in the system is smoothed. This makes it easier to control the entire system. The electricity is then transported via a DC cable on the seabed and overland to the onshore converter station. Once ashore at the converter station, the direct current is converted back into three-phase current. From there, it is fed into the extra-high voltage grid via a transformer station and is available to households and industrial companies after distribution by the regional grid operators.
The heart of our offshore grid connections, because only through them can the energy be transported from sea to land and from there to the consumer.
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In order to bring the energy generated in the North Sea to land as efficiently as possible, we use high-performance transmission cables at sea and on land.
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Environmentally sensitive areas such as dikes, dunes or the Wadden Sea can be crossed underground with the help of horizontal drilling.
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