A net zero electricity grid will require significant new investment in transmission infrastructure in order to distribute clean energy generation across a larger footprint. The transition to net zero will require doubling existing transmission infrastructure, amounting to at least $700 billion in new transmission investment. By clustering multiple offshore wind farms together and connecting them to the onshore grid using a single, high-voltage transmission line, offshore transmission spurline investments can be reduced by approximately 35% relative to a business-as-usual transmission approach. Clustering enables developers to build fewer, higher capacity lines which reduces total assets and minimizes energy losses. Offshore wind provides an opportunity to reimagine the transmission planning process and avoid the bottlenecks that have plagued land-based renewable energy deployment.
Representative display of a single plant interconnection approach and a clustered transmission interconnection approach.
