The EnergyVille research centre will receive €14 million in funding from the Flemish government to investigate possibilities for underground high-voltage lines to support the energy transition.
The rise in sustainable and renewable energy – especially wind farms and solar panels – will require additional infrastructure in the form of new high-voltage connections, predicts Flemish Minister of Economics Jo Brouns (CD&V).
The debate surrounding the Ventilus high-voltage line, which is yet to be built in West Flanders, has already shown in recent months that not everyone in Flanders likes to see additional above-ground high-voltage lines.
That is why EnergyVille must thoroughly investigate the possibilities for HVDC – High-Voltage Direct Current – in the coming years. That technology is on the rise, but further research is needed to roll it out on a large scale.
At the request of the Flemish government, the expertise centre submitted a research program that will run for at least ten years. The Flemish government is already freeing up €14 million until 2026.
