Viking link project awarded BREEAM Infrastructure "Very Good" certification

Press releases
05 June 2024

Viking link project awarded BREEAM Infrastructure "Very Good" certification

5th June 2024, Bicker Fen, Lincolnshire – The Viking Link Converter station, part of the world’s longest land and subsea electricity interconnector, has been awarded BREEAM Infrastructure ‘Very Good’ certification in recognition of its exceptional commitment to sustainability and environmental performance.

Viking Link, a 1.4 GW high voltage direct current electricity link between the British and Danish transmission systems, was developed collaboratively by National Grid and Danish system operator Energinet. Stretching 475 miles (765km), the interconnector connects Bicker Fen substation in Lincolnshire, UK, and the Revsing substation in southern Jutland, Denmark.

The £1.7bn project has the ability to power up to 2.5 million homes. It is expected to deliver over £500 million in savings for UK consumers over the next decade due to the link enabling cheaper power to be imported from Denmark. By achieving ‘Very Good’, the Viking Link project demonstrates a commitment to sustainable practices and sets a new standard for infrastructure development.

Siemens Energy, the lead contractor for Viking Link, constructed the UK converter station at Bicker Fen, which plays a crucial role in transporting power between Denmark and the UK. The company also supplied the state-of-the-art HVDC PLUS technology which has enabled the direct sharing of clean electricity between Britain and Denmark for the first time.

By working within the BREEAM Infrastructure assessment methodology, we were able to achieve a remarkable 10,679 tonnes of carbon reduction from the baseline, the equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of around 2,000 homes. This achievement demonstrates the impact of integrating sustainability practices throughout the lifecycle of a project.

– Mark Pilling, Vice President, Grid Solutions, Europe

Siemens Energy and National Grid have embraced the flexibility of the BREEAM Infrastructure scheme, enabling sustainable innovation and impressive savings in impacts and costs. The submission was further strengthened by achieving an innovation credit for using a hydrogen fuel cell during construction, effectively reducing local pollution and overall impact. As Siemens Energy's first BREEAM Infrastructure certification, the remarkable results underline the team's commitment to sustainable practices.

– Ian Slesser, Head of BPS at the Building Research Establishment (BRE)

Supporting the decarbonisation of the UK and Denmark is one of the core reasons why we developed Viking Link in the first place, and we are delighted that it has been awarded BREEAM Infrastructure certification.

– Phillip Spain, Project Director at National Grid

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Notes to Editors

About National Grid Ventures
National Grid Ventures operates outside of National Grid’s core regulated businesses in the UK and US where it develops, operates and invests in energy projects, technologies and partnerships to accelerate the development of our clean energy future. 
National Grid Ventures operates a diverse portfolio of energy assets across the UK and US, including subsea electricity interconnectors, competitive transmission, wind and solar generation, battery storage and LNG storage and regasification. 
Find out more about NGV here. 

About Siemens Energy
Siemens Energy is one of the world’s leading energy technology companies. The company works with its customers and partners on energy systems for the future, thus supporting the transition to a more sustainable world. With its portfolio of products, solutions and services, Siemens Energy covers almost the entire energy value chain – from power and heat generation and transmission to storage. The portfolio includes conventional and renewable energy technology, such as gas and steam turbines, hybrid power plants operated with hydrogen, and power generators and transformers.
Its wind power subsidiary Siemens Gamesa makes Siemens Energy a global market leader for renewable energies. An estimated one-sixth of the electricity generated worldwide is based on technologies from Siemens Energy. Siemens Energy employs around 99,000 people worldwide in more than 90 countries and generated revenue of €31 billion in fiscal year 2023.

www.siemens-energy.com

About the Building Research Establishment (BRE)
BRE delivers innovative and rigorous products, services, standards, and qualifications used globally to make buildings better for people and the environment. For a century, we have provided government and industry with cutting-edge research and testing to make buildings safer and more sustainable. BRE's ambition is to be the world's leading innovation, science, and data hub for the built environment. By developing science-led solutions to urgent challenges, we will build a thriving and sustainable world. For more information, please visit www.bregroup.com.

About BREEAM Infrastructure
BREEAM Infrastructure certification is a rigorous assessment methodology that evaluates the sustainability performance of infrastructure projects across a wide range of criteria, including energy efficiency, water conservation, waste management, biodiversity protection, and social impact.

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