Construction begins on Belgium’s offshore energy island
Construction has officially begun on Princess Elisabeth Island, Belgium’s artificial energy island located 45 kilometres off the coast. High-voltage grid operator Elia announced Wednesday that the first two of 23 massive concrete caissons have been positioned at their final location.
"Technically complex"
The operation, involving around 150 people, is technically complex. Each caisson weighs 22,000 tonnes and measures 58 metres long, 28 metres wide and between 23 and 32 metres high. Constructed in the port of Vlissingen, the caissons are towed nearly 100 kilometres across the Western Scheldt and the North Sea by four powerful tugboats.
Lowering the structures requires precise coordination with tides and weather. The caissons are filled with water to sink them in a stable and controlled manner and will form the island’s outer perimeter.
The next phase involves reinforcing the caissons with rubble to protect against summer storms, filling them with sand and preparing for the placement of the next unit. Gaps between caissons will later be sealed to prevent sand leakage during reclamation. High-voltage infrastructure will eventually be installed on top and linked to future offshore wind farms.
In the coming months, the works will focus first on completing the island’s eastern side, followed by the southern section. Progress will depend heavily on weather conditions.
© Elia
Construction is being carried out by TM Edison, a consortium of Belgian firms DEME and Jan De Nul, in coordination with the MRCC in Ostend, the Common Nautical Authority and North Sea Port. “Emergency procedures, maritime evacuation plans and strict communication protocols have been drawn up in accordance with the highest safety standards. All parties involved have been trained in this regard,” Elia said.
Elia notes that the island is “a crucial link in the development of future offshore wind farms in the Belgian North Sea (...) and both technologically and economically the most efficient way to significantly expand Belgium's electricity production at sea and to be less dependent on fossil fuels.”
Government delays
Recently, rising costs have sparked concern. “Due to the price increase for high-voltage direct current (HVDC) infrastructure, the decision on the last contracts has been postponed,” Elia confirms. “This postponement is not without consequences, but gives extra time to weigh up the current design in the changing market context with alternative concepts.”
Discussions with the federal government are ongoing “with the aim of supporting a well-founded political decision when it is taken.”
© PHOTO ELIA
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