World-first “energy island” takes shape in North Sea with contracts awarded

A world first offshore wind “energy island” is one step closer to being realised, after a Belgian consortium known as TM Edison was tapped to build the ground-breaking project.

Anchored in the grey, silty North Sea, the artificial Princess Elisabeth Island is being developed by Elia Group to received the glut of power from a new 3.5GW offshore wind farm and convert it to high voltage electricity to be transmitted to the Belgian mainland and other European countries via a series of new transmission lines.