Latest news with #Xlinks
Morocco World
3 days ago
- Business
- Morocco World
Xlinks Pauses UK-Morocco Undersea Power Cable Project Amid Regulatory Delays
Doha – Xlinks, the British company behind the ambitious project to connect Morocco and the United Kingdom via undersea power cables, has temporarily paused its Development Consent Order (DCO) examination process. In a May 14 letter to the UK Planning Inspectorate, the company requested this halt while awaiting a crucial decision on its Contract for Difference (CfD) from the UK Department of Energy Security and Net Zero. The pause comes as the company seeks financial certainty through a CfD that would guarantee fixed electricity prices for 25 years. According to company sources close to the matter, this is 'a pause in the DCO process, not a suspension,' aimed at preventing 'misalignment of different project development stages.' The main issue holding up the project is the need for price certainty. Xlinks is seeking a guaranteed price of £77 per megawatt-hour for solar energy and £87 for wind energy produced in Morocco's Guelmim-Oued Noun region. Without this financial commitment, investors are reluctant to move forward with the necessary funding. 'Without this clear commitment on a stable price, Xlinks' financial partners are hesitant to inject the necessary investments,' the company stated. Dave Lewis, Xlinks' chairman, has expressed frustration over the delays and frequent ministerial changes in the UK's energy department. In a January interview with Bloomberg, Lewis noted that the undersea cable project could generate up to £24 billion (MAD 300 billion) in investments, with approximately £5 billion in Great Britain alone. The project was designated as a 'nationally significant infrastructure project' by the British government in 2023, highlighting its strategic importance to the UK's energy security. It aims to provide power to nine million British households and reduce CO2 emissions from the UK energy sector by 10%. Read also: Former UK Minister: Morocco Key Player in Britain's Clean Energy Mission The proposed 3,900-kilometer cable would traverse Portuguese, Spanish, and French coastal waters to connect Morocco's renewable energy facilities with the British grid. If completed, it would deliver 3.6 gigawatts of electricity generated from solar parks, wind farms, and battery storage systems. Facing continued delays, Xlinks has begun exploring alternatives. Lewis told The Telegraph in early April that if the British government's response was further delayed, shareholders might redirect resources toward other projects under development, including a potential Morocco-Germany connection. The company opted for direct negotiations with the government rather than going through a tender process, which has contributed to the delays. Political instability in the UK has further complicated negotiations. Meanwhile, competition is emerging. Australian group Fortescue is developing a similar 100-gigawatt electrical connection project between North Africa and the European Union. Fortescue's chairman, Andrew Forrest, has confirmed discussions with Ed Miliband, the British Secretary of State for Energy Security, and various European governments about installing multiple undersea cables that could transport up to 500 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity annually—nearly equivalent to Germany's total annual consumption. Even with the most favorable outcome, Xlinks' complex authorization process is unlikely to conclude before 2026. While the company targets a 2030 launch date, effective service might not begin until 2031 at the earliest—a timeline that has investors increasingly concerned. The project has already received authorization from the Moroccan side, but still requires approvals from France, Spain, and Portugal, which the cables would cross. Tags: UK MoroccoXlinks project
Ya Biladi
3 days ago
- Business
- Ya Biladi
Xlinks requests pause in UK permit process as it awaits pricing decision for Morocco–UK project
Xlinks, the company behind the 4,000 km subsea cable to deliver solar and wind-generated electricity from Morocco to the UK, has paused its application for a Development Consent Order (DCO)—a legal authorization required for large infrastructure projects in the UK. Xlinks formally requested the pause in a letter to the UK Planning Inspectorate on May 14, explaining that it wants to wait for the outcome of its Contract for Difference (CfD) bid before proceeding. The CfD is a pricing mechanism that allows renewable energy developers to lock in a fixed price for their electricity over a set period, ensuring financial stability for large-scale projects. Xlinks expects a decision in late spring and is seeking a price of £70–80 per megawatt-hour (MWh), lower than comparable projects. Aligning project stages The Planning Inspectorate's answer was swift, granting Xlinks said pause on May 15. Sources close to the project told Yabiladi that the pause is not a suspension or cancellation, but a strategic move to align project stages. «The purpose of the pause is to allow the review process to proceed as efficiently and rigorously as possible, while ensuring that the DCO can then progress rapidly», they explained. It is worth noting that the Morocco–UK Power Project aims to deliver 3.6 gigawatts (GW) of dispatchable, clean energy from solar, wind, and battery facilities in Morocco to the UK. The project, which could cost up to £24 billion, is expected to cut UK carbon emissions by 10% and reduce wholesale electricity prices by 9.3%. In 2022, the project was included in the UK's strategic energy vision and recognized as a project of national significance in 2023. For the record, Xlinks has expressed frustration over delays in receiving UK government backing for the project, warning it could move the initiative to another country. Speaking to local media in March, Sir Dave Lewis, chairman of Xlinks, said that the delays in securing government approval are undermining investor confidence.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Australian billionaire plots green energy revolution with power link to North Africa
An Australian mining billionaire is seeking support from Ed Miliband for a new multibillion-pound power link between Europe and North Africa. Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest, the founder and boss of iron ore giant Fortescue, has held discussions with the Energy Secretary in recent weeks about the project, which would aim to pipe clean energy generated from African solar farms to the European Continent. Fortescue wants to develop up to 100 gigawatts (GW) of clean power capacity in North Africa, with talks ongoing with various European governments about running multiple subsea cables alongside one another to bring over electricity. These would be able to transport up to 500 terrawatt hours (TWh) of electricity per year, roughly equivalent to Germany's entire annual consumption or 17 Hinkley Point C-sized nuclear power stations operating round the clock. It would be backed up by battery storage and potentially hydrogen-fired power plants, ensuring the proposed interconnector could provide round-the-clock supplies and potentially support for system stability as well. Fortescue has yet to confirm the interconnector's route but it is understood that power for Britain would be transported via other intermediary Western European countries. Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest, the founder and boss of iron ore giant Fortescue, is in discussions with the Energy Secretary -The mining company last year signed a deal with Belgium-based offshore cable maker Jan de Nul to look at potential manufacturing facilities in Morocco. It is the latest business to look at tapping the vast solar power of North Africa, with a £25bn project proposed by rival Xlinks also vying for support from the Government. In an interview with The Telegraph, Mr Forrest said: 'You've got the most impossible amount of energy being wasted every single day in North Africa right now, so we're developing a proposal to send the equivalent of 500TW to Europe. 'And I really want to stress, this is not intermittent. It would be 24/7, baseload power, just like what I need to run my company. 'It can't run on wind and solar going up and down, it can't stop for Christmas, it can't stop for Easter. It has to go every second of every day. 'That's when we need power, and that's when Britain and Europe do as well.' Mr Forrest founded Fortescue in 2003 and built it into one of the world's biggest iron ore producers. But following a near-death experience in 2016, he became involved in environmentalism and vowed to transform his company into a green energy champion. He has argued his interconnector scheme can help to cut the power bills of European households and businesses while improving grid stability. The billionaire insisted he was not seeking subsidies from the Government but wanted a deal that would commit the UK to buying electricity at market prices over a set period of time. 'I want Ed [Miliband] to say, 'we'll buy X at market [prices],'' he said. By comparison, the rival scheme proposed by Xlinks, which is backed by former Tesco boss Sir Dave Lewis, is seeking a so-called contract for difference which would guarantee the project a fixed 'strike price' for the power it supplies. The Xlinks cable would transport solar and wind power generated in Morocco's Saharan Tan-Tan region to the Devon coast, via 4,000km of underwater cables. Mr Miliband has pledged to cut household energy bills by £300 a year and make Britain's electricity system 95pc 'clean' by 2030. His target includes increasing the capacity of interconnectors linked to the UK from 10GW currently to up to 14GW. Iberian blackouts The Fortescue proposal has emerged just weeks after Spain and Portugal suffered unprecedented national blackouts, with electricity grid stability now high on the agenda. Some experts have raised concerns that cascading failures in the Spanish system, the cause of which are still unknown, may have been worsened by a reliance on renewable energy sources. This is because many solar and wind farms do not tend to provide so-called system inertia – the spinning momentum that turbines generate as a by-product – which can add to grid instability when there are sudden changes in supply and demand. Supply and demand must be kept balanced at all times on electricity systems for the lights to stay on. In the wake of the Spanish crisis, experts have also highlighted the relatively low number of interconnectors between the Iberian peninsula and the rest of the Continent. A key link with France went offline as the blackouts spread and automatic systems kicked in to protect vital infrastructure from being damaged. A spokesman for the British Government was approached for comment. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
African Manager
03-04-2025
- Business
- African Manager
Rise of intercontinental energy networks, Tunisian-European ELMED at forefront
Many countries worldwide already have interconnected energy infrastructure, leveraging their respective natural resources to enhance power capacity. At the same time, numerous nations are pursuing an ecological transition by heavily investing in renewable energy development. However, some regions have far greater renewable energy potential than others, highlighting the need for new energy-sharing networks. There is enormous potential for cross-border and intercontinental energy sharing, which could accelerate the global green transition. Yet, developing interconnected energy transmission grids remains complex due to varying regulatory standards and other challenges. Despite this, some regions are already advancing new networks to strengthen energy security in the coming decades. Europe and Africa: A strategic energy partnership Europe and Africa are beginning to forge energy links to expand access to clean power in regions where climatic conditions are less favorable for renewable generation. Much of North Africa enjoys abundant year-round sunshine, making it ideal for large-scale solar farms. In contrast, Central and Northern Europe are less suited for such projects, prompting some European countries to explore ways of importing clean energy via undersea cables—a key focus in a recent Oil Price analysis. Notable projects under development include: – GREGY Initiative (Greece-Egypt): In the works since 2008, Greek firm Copelouzos has allocated €4.2 billion to build a bidirectional submarine cable capable of transferring 3 GW of electricity annually. – ELMED-TUNITA (Tunisia-Italy): Italian grid operator Terna and Tunisia's state-owned STEG plan a 220-km undersea link across the Strait of Sicily, with a 600 MW capacity at depths of up to 800 meters. Large-Scale solar and wind projects Nivedh Das Thaikoottathil, Senior Renewable Energy Analyst at Rystad Energy, notes: 'North Africa's renewable potential aligns well with Europe's goal to reduce reliance on Russian natural gas. The region's geographic proximity makes it a prime location for buyer-seller partnerships, driving large-scale solar and wind projects—and submarine cables spanning the Mediterranean, even reaching the UK.' The UK is advancing the Morocco-UK Power Project, spearheaded by Xlinks, which aims to supply millions of British homes with North African renewable energy via a 4,000-km submarine cable. Xlinks plans to build a 1,500-square-mile solar, wind, and battery complex in Morocco's Tan-Tan province—where solar intensity is twice that of the UK—with operations expected in the 2030s. Morocco is already connected to Europe via two 700 MW high-voltage cables to Spain. The Future of cross-border energy sharing Several countries have begun discussions on cross-border or transcontinental energy links to facilitate clean power sharing. While some short-distance projects are already operational, more ambitious long-distance ventures—with greater technical complexity—may take years to materialize. Nevertheless, energy sharing will be critical for a global green transition, as some nations boast abundant renewable resources while others require significant investment to scale up green energy capacity.
Ya Biladi
31-01-2025
- Business
- Ya Biladi
UK-Morocco subsea power cable project requires political support
The ambitious UK-Morocco subsea power cable project, spearheaded by Xlinks First Ltd., is seeking political backing to become a reality. The company anticipates generating up to £24 billion in investments, with around £5 billion specifically benefiting the UK. Dave Lewis, Chairman of Xlinks and former CEO of Tesco Plc, recently shared insights in an interview with Bloomberg. He expressed optimism about reaching a final investment decision this year, achieving financial closure by 2026, and commencing construction before the end of the following year. «This project offers a stable, reliable, and dedicated supply capable of powering 7 million homes, or 8% of current electricity needs,» Lewis stated. «It promises significant inward investment, helps lower wholesale energy prices, and reduces emissions—all without requiring government funding. My view is: why wouldn't you?» The company is in discussions with the UK government to secure a contract to sell power at fixed prices. Xlinks seeks a power price higher than that of UK offshore wind farms but lower than the agreement secured by the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant in 2016. The project plans to incorporate approximately 11.5 gigawatts of solar and wind farm capacity, along with batteries to store excess power. The electricity would be transmitted via around 4,000 kilometers (2,485.5 miles) of subsea power cables, running along the coasts of Portugal, Spain, and France, before crossing the English Channel to connect with the British power grid in Devon, southwest England.
