Is There A Working HiiROC Electrolyser in Germany?
I don’t know, but Google AI gave me this answer.
Yes, there are active initiatives and facilities utilizing HiiROC’s technology in Germany, backed heavily by German energy giants.
HiiROC’s proprietary technology is fundamentally different from traditional water electrolysis; it uses Thermal Plasma Electrolysis (TPE) (a type of methane pyrolysis) to split natural gas or biomethane into clean “turquoise” hydrogen and solid carbon black.
The German Pilot Plant (Wintershall Dea & VNG)
The primary deployment in Germany is a pilot facility developed through a strategic partnership with German energy companies Wintershall Dea and VNG AG, both of whom are also direct stakeholders in HiiROC.
Location & Purpose: Built at a site in eastern Germany, this facility was designed as the first of its kind in the country to produce turquoise hydrogen on a commercial pilot scale.
Capacity: The plant has a nominal capacity of 400 kg of hydrogen per day (equivalent to an annual energy output of nearly 5 GWh).
Operation: The facility utilizes HiiROC’s modular plasma units to extract hydrogen directly from the gas grid at the point of use, capturing the carbon as solid carbon black—which is then routed for industrial use (such as in tire manufacturing and construction materials)
International Scaling & Automation Support
To transition these modular systems into wider industrial operation across Germany and the rest of Europe, HiiROC maintains a research lab in mainland Europe and signed a major partnership with German engineering giant Siemens. Siemens provides the advanced control technology, safety automation, and factory scaling expertise necessary to mass-produce and safely operate these high-pressure plasma electrolysers in demanding industrial environments.
Germany is certainly onboard and helping, with this exciting development from Hull.
EU Deal Means Return Of Pet Passports For Dogs, Cats And Ferrets
The title of this post is the same as that of this article in The Times!
This is the sub-heading.
New rules will be ratified at a summit on November 20 at which Britain must juggle trade-offs to gain access to Europe’s car and energy markets
I don’t care about dogs, cats and ferrets, provided everybody treats them right and allows me to say hello occasionally, but I do care about energy.
In my opinion the most important paragraph in the article is this one, which introduces, what it will mean for energy in the EU and the UK.
In a separate negotiation, the EU is calling on the UK to pay into European development funds if British energy companies are to gain the freedom to trade in the EU’s single market for electricity. Brussels would stipulate that British taxpayers’ money be funnelled into projects to build roads, airports and green energy facilities in the bloc’s poorer member states.
It might mean, that we have to pay some money in, but we are sitting on one of the largest green energy resources in Europe.
This map shows the The Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) around the UK.
Note.
- Undoubtedly, the rules by which EEZs were drawn, favoured the UK, and countries like Belgium and Germany didn’t do as well.
- The area of the UK’s European EEZ is twenty-three times that of Germany’s whole EEZ, which also includes an area of the Baltic Sea..
- Belgium doesn’t do well compared to The Netherlands.
- There is a substantial area between the UK and Ireland, which can deliver energy to where it is worth more.
- Great Britain and Ireland are surrounded by a large area, that must be worth developing.
- There is a convenient corridor, that runs North-West from the German EEZ to the UK EEZ, which could be used to deliver energy to Germany.
Didn’t the UK (and the Irish) do well!
Earlier in my opinion, I considered this paragraph to be the most important paragraph in the article.
In a separate negotiation, the EU is calling on the UK to pay into European development funds if British energy companies are to gain the freedom to trade in the EU’s single market for electricity. Brussels would stipulate that British taxpayers’ money be funnelled into projects to build roads, airports and green energy facilities in the bloc’s poorer member states.
I believe that if we joined the EU’s single market for electricity, this will open up joint UK/EU energy projects.
Energy Supply To The Island Of Ireland
This may be a bit parochial, but it’s important if you live in the Irish Republic or Northern Ireland.
I asked Google AI, the title of this section and received this reply.
The island of Ireland relies heavily on a mix of natural gas, wind power, and energy imports, operating through an all-island wholesale electricity market.
Key Energy Supply Facts
Fossil Fuel Reliance: Ireland remains a net energy importer, with fossil fuels accounting for roughly 79% to 83% of primary energy supply.
Electricity Generation Mix: In recent data, gross electricity supply is led by natural gas (~40%), wind energy (~32%), and net imports (~16%). Coal-fired generation at Moneypoint ended in 2025, and peat-fired generation has phased out or transitioned to biomass.
Single Electricity Market (SEM): The wholesale electricity market operates across the entire island of Ireland (Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland) as a single pool, managed via the Single Electricity Market Operator (SEMO).
Grid Operators: Transmission systems are operated by EirGrid in the Republic and ESB Networks handling distribution. Interconnections link the island to Great Britain and France.
Demand Drivers: Total electricity demand sits around 34.1 TWh, with commercial services and data centers making up a significant and growing portion of consumption.
Note.
- Energy on the island of Ireland is one of the oldest cross-border energy projects in Europe.
- Sixteen perecent of electricity is imported.
- It appears that electricity in all of Ireland is highly integrated and operates as a single market.
- In What Is The Potential Capacity Of Wind Farms In The Atlantic To The West Of Ireland?, I showed that as much as 600 GW of green electricity could be developed to the West of the island of Ireland.
The island of Ireland has outstanding potential for the development of offshore wind.
How Much Electricity Is Transferred Between The UK And The Irish Republic?
I asked Google AI, the title of this section and received this reply.
The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland import approximately 16% of their combined electricity needs from Great Britain.
Interconnectors Between Britain and Ireland
The power exchange happens via subsea high-voltage direct current (HVDC) and AC interconnections:
East-West Interconnector (EWIC): Connects Portan (County Meath, Ireland) and Shotton (North Wales) with a capacity of 500 MW.
Greenlink Interconnector: Connects Great Island (County Wexford, Ireland) and Pembroke (Wales) with a capacity of 500 MW (operational since early 2025).
Moyle Interconnector: Connects Scotland and Northern Ireland with a capacity of 500 MW (Northern Ireland shares an all-island Single Electricity Market with the Republic of Ireland).
North-South Interconnector: Links the grids of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland (capacity around 540 MW).
It would appear that the UK grid and the two grids on the island of Ireland are well-connected.
Would There Be Advantages If Both The UK And The Irish Republic Were In The Same EU Single Market For Electricity?
I asked Google AI, the title of this section and received this reply.
Re-aligning or fully coupling the UK and the Irish Republic within the EU single market for electricity (or the EU’s Internal Energy Market) offers several well-documented economic and operational advantages:
Lower Wholesale Electricity Prices: Post-Brexit decoupling between Great Britain and the island of Ireland’s Single Electricity Market (SEM) caused wholesale electricity prices in Northern Ireland to be up to 20% higher. Recoupling helps lower consumer bills by restoring efficient cross-border trade.
More Efficient Use of Interconnectors: Market coupling links electricity markets across interconnected regions so that prices and power flows are set simultaneously via shared algorithms, allowing electricity to move seamlessly from lower-cost areas to higher-cost ones.
Enhanced Security of Supply: Larger integrated electricity networks make local grid problems easier to manage by enabling immediate energy imports from neighboring systems when a plant trips or demand spikes.
Reduced Reserve Requirements: Operating across a larger, unified grid lowers the total amount of spinning or standby generation reserves needed to maintain stable system performance, since a single plant outage has a smaller relative impact.
Better Integration of Renewable Energy: Greater interconnection prevents the wasteful curtailment of wind and solar farms during high-generation periods, letting regions export surplus green power and maximize environmental and economic returns.
Wind farms could also be built between the two islands with the ability to send electricity where it was needed most.
Would A Combined EU/UK Single Market For Electricity Encourage Cross-Border Energy Projects?
I asked Google AI, the title of this section and received this reply.
A combined EU/UK single market for electricity would significantly encourage cross-border energy projects by removing administrative bottlenecks, optimizing physical infrastructure, and reducing system costs.
Key Ways Integration Encourages Cross-Border Projects
Day-Ahead Market Coupling: Reconnecting Great Britain to the EU’s day-ahead market-coupling system restores automated pan-European optimization for electricity flows. According to the EU Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER), integrated trading lets countries seamlessly share generation, storage, and demand-side flexibility, which directly supports investments in new interconnectors.
North Sea Hybrid and Offshore Projects: The UK and EU share massive ambitions for North Sea offshore wind (targeting up to 300 GW by 2050). A unified market framework creates the regulatory alignment, carbon pricing clarity (such as linking the UK and EU Emissions Trading Systems), and long-term investor confidence needed to finance multi-country grid links and hybrid wind projects.
Reduction of System Inefficiencies: Current post-Brexit trading arrangements lead to sub-optimal use of interconnector capacity (roughly 12–14 GW). Reintegration is estimated to eliminate annual system inefficiencies worth £120 million to £370 million, making cross-border commercial cases much stronger for developers.
Context and Trade-Offs
Financial and Political Conditions: Discussions and draft proposals (including reports around potential UK contributions to EU development or regional funds in exchange for access) highlight that market re-entry involves political and financial trade-offs for both sides.
Broader Alignment: Analysts note that while full market coupling lowers wholesale power costs and improves grid balancing, its ultimate success depends on avoiding new non-tariff or carbon-border friction (like unaligned Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms) that could offset green export gains.
It would appear that on balance a combined EU/UK single market for electricity would encourage cross-border projects and would.be beneficial.
Could A Combined EU/UK Single Market For Hydrogen Work?
I asked Google AI, the title of this section and received this reply.
A combined EU/UK single market for hydrogen could work economically and technically, driven by shared resources in the North Sea and complementary supply-and-demand needs, but faces major political and doctrinal hurdles.
Economic and Technical Potential
Shared Infrastructure: Collaborating on North Sea renewable power generation, hydrogen pipelines, and carbon capture and storage (CCUS) can significantly cut project costs and improve financial backing.
Regulatory Alignment: Both the UK and the EU are implementing Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms (CBAM) that cover hydrogen imports by 2027 to prevent carbon-leakage. Harmonizing standards avoids expensive compliance duplication.
Supply and Demand at Scale: The EU has set massive renewable hydrogen targets through REPowerEU, while the UK aims to scale its own domestic capacity (though facing domestic policy and delivery delays).
Political and Institutional Obstacles
The “Indivisibility” Doctrine: The European Commission has previously assessed that deep energy market linkages of this nature run counter to the EU’s core doctrine of the indivisibility of the single market.
Red Lines on Bureaucracy: UK policymakers remain cautious about accepting EU oversight or rejoining Brussels regulatory bodies, while EU officials resist allowing the UK to “pick and choose” cherry-picked single-market access outside of full membership.
Current Frameworks: Post-Brexit trade relies on the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, which lacks deep, permanent integration for emerging clean-energy sectors, though both sides have signaled intent to hold technical and regulatory exchanges on hydrogen and clean tech.
I feel that if the single market can be made to work for electricity, it can be made to work for hydrogen.
Is This Healey’s Magic Money Tree?
It looks to me that Healey has found a Magic Money Tree, which does the following.
- Saves the welfare budget.
- Allows him to abolish standing charges on gas bills.
- Allows him to take VAT off electricity bills.
- Allows him to give £100 to 20,000,000 householders.
- The Kyiv Independent has a headline of UK Announces ‘Biggest Ever’ Ukraine Support Package Of $13 Billion In 2027.
- He seems committed to increasing defence spending.
- Setting up the National Agentic Security Unit will cost millions.
Is this the Magic Money Tree?
- Jackdaw’s gas goes to St. Fergus as planned!
- One leg of AquaVentus, which is a German system of pipes and wires, that brings green hydrogen and electricity from around the North Sea to Wilhelmshaven could start at the St. Fergus Gas Terminal.
- Other legs of AquaVentus are planned to start in Denmark, Norway and The Netherlands.
- Two H2 molecules can be extracted from each gas molecule, as methane is CH4.
- One way is a process called HiiROC that was developed in Hull, which is backed by big names including Cemex, Centrica, Hyundai, INEOS, Kia and Melrose.
- HiiROC is five times more energy efficient than traditional electrolysis.
- The Aberdeen area is not short of green electricity, given the large number of offshore wind farms.
- Germany gets the hydrogen to decarbonise, through the pipes of AquaVentus.
- The wires of AquaVentus could also take green electricity to Germany.
- Germany has run out of space in their Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) for more turbines.
- But as our EEZ is 23 times the size of Germany’s, we have enough to rent out space for German wind turbines.
- The route of AquaVentus will use the UK EEZ and could export energy from existing and planned UK wind farms.
- When the EEZs were drawn up, a corridor was left between the German and UK zones, where pipes and wires could be laid to transfer energy between the two countries.
- Burnham visited Merz a few weeks ago and nothing was said about energy to the media.
- But did they put together an energy deal to give Germany the green energy it needs?
- Chris O’Shea is CEO of Centrica and has several professional connections to Burnham from his Manchester days and the recent Labour Conference.
If Germany should be getting all this green energy, Healey will surely be getting loadsaeuros in return.
These are some further thoughts.
EEZ Of The UK And Neighbouring Coastal States
If you like to know more about EEZs or Exclusive Economic Zones, they have a Wikipedia entry, which includes these two statements.
- The idea of allotting nations’ EEZs to give them more control of maritime affairs outside territorial limits gained acceptance in the late 20th century.
- It was not until 1982 with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea that the 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone was formally adopted.
This is possibly, the most significant map concerning the future of the UK.
Note.
- The UK EEZ is shown in bright blue.
- The UK EEZ was setup by David Cameron’s government in 2014.
- Much of the UK EEZ stretches a full 200 nautical miles from the coast.
- Germany’s EEZ is indicated by DE.
- The UK EEZ is 23 times the size of Germany’s.
- There is a narrow corridor between the UK and German EEZs, which goes between the Dutch and Danish EEZs, which was the result of an expensive legal battle and gives Germany access to the North Sea.
- Wilhelmshaven is about in the mid-point of the North-facing part of the German coast.
- But the corridor could most-likely be the route of the Aquaventus pipes and wires system between Aberdeen and Wilhelmshaven via Humberside.
Whichever way you look at it, the UK did incredibly well, when EEZs were allocated.
The Route Of AquaVentus To The UK
This map shows the border between the UK and German EEZs.
Note.
- The North-East corner of Scotland is clearly visible in the North-West corner of the map.
- The corridor between the UK and German EEZs is clearly visible.
- The corridor points at the North-East corner of Scotland.
- Wilhelmshaven is on the round estuary on the German coast.
- AquaVentus has a preferred route via Humberside, which looks feasible.
If an AquaVentus leg ran between the German EEZ and the North-East corner of Scotland, it would be totally in the UK EEZ, which would probably simplify any negotiations.
Could AquaVentus Make Use Of The UK’s Energy Storage?
Consider.
- Various companies are building three or four large pumped storage hydro systems in the Highlands of Scotland.
- There are two large gas storage facilities; Aldbrough and Rough on Humberside, which could be converted to hydrogen storage.
Energy storage would surely add functionality to AquaVentus.
Does Germany Import Nuclear Energy Through Interconnectors?
Germany doesn’t have any nuclear power stations, but does it import nuclear energy?
I asked Google AI, thquestion in the title of this section, and received this answer.
Yes, Germany imports electricity that originates from nuclear power plants in neighboring countries via cross-border high-voltage interconnectors.
Key Facts on Nuclear Imports via Interconnectors
Zero Domestic Generation: Germany completed the shutdown of its last domestic nuclear power reactors in April 2023 and produces zero nuclear electricity locally.
Integrated European Grid: Electricity in Europe flows through a shared, interconnected network based on market prices, supply, and demand rather than national political borders.
Sources of Nuclear Imports: When Germany imports electricity—such as from France, Switzerland, or Belgium—a portion of that power mix comes from nuclear generation.
Rising Import Volumes: Estimates by DataPulse Research via Visual Capitalist indicate that Germany’s estimated nuclear electricity imports rose to roughly 18,313 GWh in 2024 following the complete nuclear phaseout.
It appears that so long as they don’t build any nuclear power stations, it’s OK!
What Will Be The Route Of AquaVentus From Denmark, Norway And The Netherlands?
The exact routes have not been decided, but if you look at the map of the EEZ Of The UK And Neighbouring Coastal States, it appears, that nearly all of the routes of the pipes and wires, will lie within the UK EEZ.
The hydrogen and electricity may have not been generated by the UK, but it has come through our EEV.
It looks to me, that we have those Europeans screwed, glued and tattooed.
Germany Has Run Out Of Space In Their Exclusive Economic Zone For More Wind Farms
So they have come up with a plan, where they rent space in the EEZs of other countries and then bring the energy as either green hydrogen or electricity, back to Germany using the pipes and wires of AquaVentus.
Could Dogger Bank South Wind Farm Be Connected To AquaVentus?
Consider.
- It will be a pair of two 1,500 MW wind farms
- They are two of the furthest East UK wind farms and are not far from the border between the UK and German EEZs.
- They are being developed by German company ; RWE.
- They are currently to be connected to the UK grid at Birkhill Wood in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
But if it were more convenient or affordable could the two wind farms be connected to AquaVentus and send their green energy to Germany?
Conclusion
AquaVentus will bring Germany the energy it needs from around the North Sea.
And Chancellor Healey will have a long-lasting Magic Money Tree.
New Ferry Link Proposed Between Aberdeen And Iceland
The title of this post is the same as that of this article in The Times.
This is the sub-heading.
Talks are under way for a ferry from Aberdeen to Seydisfjordur in eastern Iceland, reviving a North Atlantic connection that endured for 150 years
These three paragraphs add more detail.
There were wild celebrations when the first ever regular mail steamer from Scotland arrived in Iceland.
Cheering crowds gathered as the Clyde-built Victor Emanuel, her single funnel belching black smoke, slipped into Reykjavik harbour in 1858 after crossing the North Atlantic from Leith. It was an historic day, marking a service that was to bind Britain and Iceland in a way they never had been before.
There was little or no emotion, however, when the last regular sea connection between Scotland and Iceland was lost in 2008 amid the rise of low-cost airlines, ending a century and a half of shipping history.
But now it appears that the ferry might be revived, as The Times article reports.
This Google Map shows the seas between Aberdeen and Iceland.
Note.
- Iceland is in the North-West corner of the map.
- Seydisfjordur, which will be the port, where the service will terminate is indicated by the red arrow.
- The Faroe Islands are in the middle of the map.
- Aberdeen is in the South-West corner of the map.
- The Orkneys and Shetlands are North of Scotland.
I was rather surprised, I could get everything on the single map.
This second map shows all the wind farms being developed around the North of Scotland.
Note.
- These seventeen wind farms have a total capacity of 24 GW.
- Currently, in total, as I write this we’re using 35.7 GW and generating 32.9 GW.
- The difference is made up of transfers.
- There are more details on these wind farms in Ørsted, Simply Blue, Subsea7 Submit Application For 100 MW Scottish Floating Wind Farm.
There would appear to be plenty more space for wind farms.
What Will Happen To This Energy In The North Of Scotland?
The Germans have a shortage of green energy and it is likely that they will build a system of pipes and wires called AquaVentus between Aberdeen and Wilhelmshaven via Humberside to bring green hydrogen and electricity to Germany.
I can see a need for ferries linking Wilhelmshaven, Aberdeen, Orkney, Shetland, the Faroes and Iceland, if construction really takes off in the area, where there is one of the largest undeveloped areas in Europe, that is suitable for wind farms.
And much of the area is in the UK EEZ.
I do wonder, if in his recent visit to Merz, Burnham and the German Chancellor agreed to develop the Northern part of the UK EEZ for the mutual benefit of the two countries.
I will finish with these questions.
What Is The Offshore Wind Potential Of Iceland?
I asked Google AI this question and received this answer.
Iceland possesses massive theoretical offshore wind resources, estimated by the World Bank at approximately 847 gigawatts (GW), which is more than the combined potential of countries like France and Spain.
Key Aspects of Iceland’s Offshore Wind Potential
Resource Scale: The World Bank estimates Iceland’s coastal waters could yield up to 847 GW of power, far exceeding the country’s domestic electricity consumption (which is currently met almost entirely by geothermal and hydroelectric power).
Geographical and Climate Challenges:
Shallows and Coastline: Unlike shallow North Sea basins, Iceland’s rugged coastlines have relatively few shallow areas, which can complicate conventional fixed-bottom turbine installations.
Harsh Conditions: Winter wind speeds and power densities are exceptionally high (with offshore values exceeding 1,000 W/m² in southern, eastern, and western coastal areas), though extreme weather, tectonic activity, and volcanic-glacial sediments require specialized foundation engineering.
Export and Cross-Border Concepts: Because Iceland’s domestic energy needs are already satisfied by low-cost renewables, large-scale offshore wind developments are often proposed for export. For example, developers like Hecate Independent Power (HIP Atlantic) have explored multi-gigawatt offshore wind projects off Iceland’s coast linked directly to the United Kingdom via long-distance subsea HVDC transmission cables.
Emerging Research: Scientific bodies like the British Geological Survey (BGS) and the Icelandic Geological Survey (ÍSOR) have partnered on grants to map Iceland’s seabed and glacial outwash plains to better evaluate site suitability and turbine foundation designs.
Iceland could be Europe’s largest power station.
It’s lucky Trump has no engineering, mathematical or scientific knowledge, otherwise he’d be jealous.
What Is The Offshore Wind Potential Of The Faroe Islands?
I asked Google AI this question and received this answer.
The Faroe Islands possess substantial wind resources, though deep surrounding waters present engineering challenges for standard bottom-fixed offshore wind turbines. To bypass these constraints and overcome local onshore resistance (“NIMBY” opposition), the territory has actively explored and planned offshore installations:
Planned Offshore Wind Projects
Tórshavn Offshore Wind Farm: The Faroese power company SEV planned an initial offshore wind project near the capital, Tórshavn, sized between 96 MW and 120 MW.
Replacement of Onshore Plans: This single offshore initiative was designed to replace at least five delayed or contested onshore wind farms, accelerating the territory’s push toward its goal of 100% sustainable electricity generation by 2030.
Technical & Geographical Challenges
Deep Waters: Standard fixed-bottom offshore wind turbines are difficult or costly to deploy because the waters surrounding the steep volcanic islands become deep very quickly.
Alternative Approaches: Studies and strategies have investigated floating offshore wind options, as well as integrating offshore wind with green hydrogen and ammonia production to power local maritime and industrial sectors.
Tidal Complement: Because standard wind and solar can be variable or affected by harsh salt and wind conditions, the islands are heavily supplementing their wind strategy with predictable underwater tidal kite technology (such as Minesto systems) which hold a separate 2 GW national tidal potential.
It looks like The Faroes goal of 100 % sustainable electricity generation by 2030, will mean they won’t be exporting large amounts of energy.
What Is The Offshore Wind Potential Of The Shetland Islands?
I asked Google AI this question and received this answer.
The Shetland Islands possess some of the most consistent and high-capacity wind resources in Europe, with multi-gigawatt offshore wind potential supported by ScotWind leasing rounds.
Key Offshore Wind Projects & Potential
Arven Offshore Wind Farm: A major floating offshore wind project targeted for the early 2030s located east of Shetland. It features a planned capacity of 2.3 GW (enough to power roughly 2 million homes annually).
Stoura Offshore Wind Farm: An early-stage floating wind project awarded to ESB via Crown Estate Scotland’s ScotWind process. Located about 40 km east of Shetland, it has a targeted capacity of 500 MW.
NE1 Site & Regional Leasing: The broader waters surrounding Shetland have yielded licensing for roughly 2.8 GW to 3 GW or more of offshore floating wind capacity through recent leasing rounds, utilizing deep-water floating technology for depths exceeding 60 meters.
Complementary Energy Infrastructure
Onshore Integration: The massive 443 MW Viking Energy Wind Farm (103 turbines) and related onshore sites operate alongside a 260 km subsea HVDC interconnector cable linking Shetland directly to the UK mainland grid.
Industrial Transition: The historic Sullom Voe Terminal is shifting into a clean energy and carbon storage hub (via projects like Veri Energy and ORION), exploring how excess offshore and onshore renewable power can drive green hydrogen production and offshore platform electrification.
Local Challenges: Developers and authorities must balance this massive marine energy potential with spatial constraints, local fishing industry concerns, and grid-connection capacities.
Shetland seems to have implemented an excellent local solution.
What Is The Offshore Wind Potential Of The Orkney Islands?
I asked Google AI this question and received this answer.
The Orkney Islands possess massive offshore wind potential, with surrounding regional waters estimated to hold anywhere from 5 GW to over 17 GW of immediate local generation capacity, alongside broader island and northern Scottish shelf sharing over 100 GW of combined offshore wind potential.
Key Offshore Wind Scale & Figures
Immediate/Local Potential: Between 5 GW and 10 GW of generation capacity lies within 12 miles of the islands, with broader regional models citing up to 17,000 MW (17 GW) of nearby offshore wind potential.
Broader Northern Potential: Orkney—alongside Shetland and the Outer Hebrides—shares access to a regional pool exceeding 100 GW of offshore wind capacity.
Major Projects: The landmark West of Orkney Windfarm (located 30 km off the west coast) features a capacity of 2 GW (up to 125 fixed-foundation turbines), designed to power over 2 million homes and target initial power generation around 2030. It is the first ScotWind project to secure both offshore and onshore planning consents.
Infrastructure & Grid Challenges
Grid Bottlenecks: Orkney frequently generates more than 130% of its local power needs from renewables, leading to significant wind curtailment because legacy interconnector cables to the Scottish mainland are heavily constrained (limited to roughly 40 MW).
Upcoming Upgrades: A new major transmission interconnector cable project is slated to scale up export capacity and relieve these constraints by the end of 2028.
Ports and Supply Chain: Strategic port developments—such as the Scapa Deep Water Quay project at Scapa Flow—are receiving multi-million-pound investments to transform Orkney into a primary assembly, manufacturing, and maintenance hub for Scottish and European floating and fixed offshore wind farms.
It appears that the priority is better transmission of the generated electricity.
Conclusion
It looks like a substantial amount of green electricity can be harvested and brought South, either as electricity or as green hydrogen.
UK And Germany Will Face Threats Together, Says Burnham In Berlin
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
The UK and Germany will face threats together, Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said as he reaffirmed a series of defence and security partnerships
These two paragraphs add some more detail.
On his first official European trip, apart from visits to Ukraine, Burnham met German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and was greeted with military honours in Berlin.
Speaking to reporters at the German capital’s Federal Chancellery, the prime minister said both countries were facing hybrid attacks “on a regular basis” and “it makes sense” to take them on together.
I am surprised that the article doesn’t mention energy, as it is a problem for both Germany and the UK.
Germany’s problems include.
- They are short of both green electricity and gas.
- They produce about a fifth of their electricity from coal.
- They have weaned themselves off Russian gas and nuclear power.
- They have poor electricity storage.
Their strengths include.
- Siemens is the second-largest European wind turbine manufacturer.
- 29 wind farms in the UK, have been built around Siemens wind turbines.
- RWE is a major German developer of wind farms.
- RWE is the largest generator of electricity in the UK.
- RWE own or part-own thirteen wind farms in the UK.
Germany also has good plans to solve their problems.
- AquaVentus is a series of pipes and wires to bring green electricity and hydrogen from Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Aberdeen and Humberside in the UK. to Wilhelmshaven in North-West Germany.
- H2ercules is a plan to deliver hydrogen around Germany to power industry.
In New Study Shows How North Sea Offshore Wind Can Yield More While Costing Less, I found this “It appears from the text in this must read report, that the Germans might develop as much as 20 GW in neighbouring countries.”
The UK’s problems include.
- High electricity and gas prices.
- Not enough electricity storage.
- Poor connections to the grid.
Our strengths include.
- A large amount of solar and wind power is being developed.
- We will generate more electricity than we need.
- Geographically, we generate more electricity on the East side of the UK, so our electrons are ideally placed in invade Germany.
- We shall be able to send electricity and hydrogen to Germany using the AquaVentus system.
- We are developing at least three 2 GW/30 GWh pumped storage systems in Scotland to store electricity and back up AquaVentus.
- Rough and Aldbrough are gas storage reservoirs on Humberside, that could be converted to store hydrogen, so we could keep Germany supplied.
- HiiROC is affordable hydrogen production technology being developed in Hull, which is five times more efficient, than traditional methods.
Centrica is backing HiiROC and is developing a stable of British ideas.
The UK’s Biggest Advantage
This map shows the The Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) around the UK.
Note.
- Undoubtedly, the rules by which EEZs were drawn, favoured the UK, and countries like Belgium and Germany didn’t do as well.
- The area of the UK’s EEZ is twenty-three times that of Germany’s EEZ.
- Belgium doesn’t do well compared to The Netherlands.
- There is a substantial area between the UK and Ireland, which can deliver energy to where it is worth more.
- Great Britain and Ireland are surrounded by a large area, that must be worth developing.
- There is a convenient corridor, that runs North-West from the German EEZ to the UK EEZ, which could be used to deliver energy to Germany.
Didn’t the UK (and the Irish) do well!
I believe that there are joint actions that the UK and Germany can take to both their own advantages.
Find A Way To Keep Rough Operational
If we keep Rough operational, then.
- It can usefully act as hydrogen storage for the Germans, with a connection to AquaVentus.
- We can also use it as a store for hydrogen created from excess energy, when we have too much.
- It can also supply hydrogen to companies like INEOS on Humberside.
- Hydrogen could also be exported from the Port of Hull in small coastal liquid hydrogen tankers.
- Companies that need a lot of zero-carbon energy could move to Humberside.
I suspect John Healey will make an announcement in the 2026 Budget.
AquaVentus And Energy Storage
AquaVentus, the pumped storage hydro in Scotland and the hydrogen storage on Humberside could make a big difference to the cost of UK energy, as instead of paying wind farm operators to turn off their wind farms, the excess electricity be handled in one of these ways.
- It can be sent to Germany using AquaVentus as electricity.
- Electricity can be stored in the pumped storage hydro in the Highlands.
- It can be used to create hydrogen which can be stored in Rough and Aldbrough.
- Hydrogen can be sent to Germany using Aquaventus.
- Electricity waste is minimised, which saves the UK money.
- Germany gets a more reliable supply of green hydrogen.
The UK should get a cash flow from Germany for the energy, that is delivered.
AquaVentus Could Be Combined With National Grid’s Eastern Green Links Project
Consider.
- AquaVentus will bring energy from Aberdeen and Humberside to Wilhelmshaven.
- National Grid are building five Eastern Green Links along the East Coast of the UK to move electricity to where it is needed.
- EGL1 will link Murton, Co Durham and Torness.
- EGL2 will link Drax, Yorkshire and Peterhead.
- EGL3 will link Anderby Creek and Peterhead.
- EGL4 will link Anderby Creek and Westfield, Fife.
- EGL5 will link Anderby Creek and Peterhead.
- All willhave a capacity of 2 GW.
The Eastern Green Links have a Wikipedia entry.
This Google Map shows the location of Wilhelmshaven with respect to the UK.
Wilhelmshaven is marked by the red arrow.
- It looks to me, that between Lincolnshire and Scotland AquaVentus and EGL1-5 will be following a similar route up the East Coast of the UK, which would surely make construction easier, faster and less costly.
- Provision could easily be made to provide a link to the Sizewell nuclear site, which has a total capacity of 4.4 GW.
- NeuConnect is a 1.4 GW interconnector between the Isle of Grain and Wilhelmshaven, that is under construction and will be 725 kilometres long.
- On the Isle of Grain is the 1.32 GW gas-fired power station, that is owned by RWE.
- BritNed is a 1 GW interconnector between the Isle of Grain and Rotterdam.
- Nemo Link is a 1 GW interconnector between Kent and Zeebrugge.
- LionLink is a proposed 1.8GW HVDC electrical interconnector to link offshore wind farms in the North Sea to the electrical grids in both Great Britain and the Netherlands.
- In National Grid, TenneT Germany Launch GriffinLink, A First Of A Find Project To Maximise Offshore Wind, I talk about GriffinLink, which will run between the UK and Germany.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see a tidying-up of the electrical connections between England, Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany.
Are the Danish And German Grids Connected Under The North Sea?
I asked Google AI this question and received this answer.
The Danish and German electricity grids are connected through undersea and land infrastructure, though direct grid-to-grid interconnections under the North Sea itself are currently expanding rather than existing as a direct bilateral link between the two countries’ mainland grids.
Current and Planned Connections
Land Boundary: The primary connection between Denmark and Germany is a shared 146-kilometer land border across the Jutland peninsula, which carries high-voltage alternating current (HVAC) power lines linking the two national transmission systems.
North Sea Undersea Cables (Indirect/Transit): The COBRAcable, a high-voltage direct current (HVDC) submarine link operated by TenneT and Energinet, connects the electricity grids of the Netherlands and Denmark, running through the German sector of the North Sea.
North Sea Hybrid Projects: German and Danish transmission system operators (such as Amprion and Energinet) have signed agreements and memoranda—including joint declarations from the North Sea Summit—to examine and develop future hybrid offshore wind interconnectors and energy hub links in the North Sea.
Baltic Sea Connections: In contrast, direct cross-border grid and hybrid wind connections between Denmark and Germany are more established or actively deploying in the Baltic Sea, such as through the Kriegers Flak and Bornholm Energy Island projects.
It looks like what is happening between England and Germany has already been developed between Germany and Denmark.
Does Germany Want To Put Wind Farms In Other Countries EEZs And Bring The Energy To Germany?
Google AI gave this answer to my question.
Yes, Germany is moving toward integrating and allowing cross-border and radial offshore wind projects located in the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of neighboring countries—such as Denmark—to connect directly to the German grid.
Rather than “renting” areas unilaterally, Germany is accomplishing this through joint cross-border European partnerships and bilateral agreements.
Key Details
Regulatory Changes: Germany has proposed amendments (such as via drafts integrating “international offshore connection lines” into its WindSeeG legislation) to explicitly cover radial lines from an offshore farm outside the German EEZ connected exclusively to the German grid.
Counting Toward Targets: These proposed rules allow cross-border radial offshore wind projects to count directly toward Germany’s national offshore wind targets (such as its 70 GW offshore wind goal).
Cross-Border Cooperation: Strategic frameworks—such as between Denmark and Germany—are being established to link projects in foreign waters (like Danish waters) to German converter platforms (e.g., the OST-2-4 platform in the German EEZ).
Research and Industry Push: Studies (including analysis by Fraunhofer IWES) and industry voices (such as Örsted) have argued that shifting or sharing some offshore build-out into neighboring waters like Denmark and Sweden can optimize output, lower costs, and reduce the risk of regionally weak wind conditions. This is also part of broader European agreements like the North Sea Summit declarations scaling up cross-border infrastructure.
Note.
- The UK and German EEZs join via a corridor, that would surely be bideal for a large capacity cable, which is clearly visible on then EEZ map.
- The UK has more than enough space for wind farms.
- The primary source of the UK’s offshore energy could shift to wind farms to the West and North-West of Great Britain.
- Eastern British would probably play a large part in the construction and service of German wind farms to the East of Great Britain.
There would appear to be winners all round.
- Germany gets the energy it needs.
- The UK gets the affordable energy it needs.
- The UK gets paid for the energy created in and exported from its waters.
- British jobs will be created in the construction and support of the German wind farms.
This could be the start of something very big for Germany and the UK.
Will JCB And Alton Towers Like The New Manchester Piccadilly And St. Pancras Rail Service At Uttoxeter Station?
Grand Central Trains have applied for an open access service between Manchester Piccadilly and St. Pancras stations.
- This service will call at Stockport, Macclesfield, Congleton, Stoke-on-Trent, Uttoxeter, Derby, Loughborough, Leicester, Wellingborough and Luton Airport Parkway.
- Grand Central Trains are asking for five trains per day.
- JCB and Alton Towers are the two largest employers in the area and employ more than a few thousand between them.
- The JCB headquarters and factory are 5.6 miles from Uttoxeter station.
- Alton Towers is 10 miles from Uttoxeter station.
- Alton Towers have given the new train service their backing.
- The current local train service through Uttoxeter is only an hourly diesel service between Crewe and Lincoln, with additional calls at Stoke-on-Trent, Derby and Nottingham.
- Trains seem to call at Uttoxeter between 07:00 and 22:00.
I suspect that this train service may not be enough.
I have some questions and thoughts.
What Trains Will Be Used For The Manchester Piccadilly And St. Pancras Rail Service?
Initially, it is likely, that hand-me-down Class 180 trains will be used.
- They are five-car diesel trains.
- As they are only 116.52 metres long, they are less than 120 metre, so they will fit the platforms at St. Pancras.
- They are 125 mph trains.
I have problems with their air-conditioning.
I am sure, that JCB, Alton Towers and all their employees and visitors would prefer a mouse-quiet zero-carbon train and Grand Central Trains have some Class 820 trains on order from Hitachi.
- They are five-car tri-mode trains.
- They will have to have 24 metre cars, so they will fit the platforms at St. Pancras.
- They are 125 mph trains.
They will use battery power between Kilby Bridge junction and Stoke-on-Trent station, which is about 71 miles.
How Long Will St. Pancras And Uttoxeter Take?
Consider.
- The fastest time between St. Pancras and Derby stations takes 87 minutes
- A Class 170 train takes 26 minutes between Derby and Uttoxeter.
I believe that with a few minutes for the driver to change ends at Derby, that St. Pancras and Uttoxeter stations will be under two hours.
I asked Google AI, how long it would take to drive and received this reply.
Driving between Uttoxeter and London takes approximately 2 hours and 44 minutes to 3 hours and 4 minutes, depending on the route you choose.
That is an impressive saving.
Do Alton Towers And JCB Have Difficulty Getting Local Employees?
I asked this question of Google AI and received this answer.
Yes, Alton Towers and JCB face persistent and unique challenges when it comes to recruiting and retaining local employees. Both companies are the dominant, marquee employers in the rural area of Staffordshire Moorlands, but their location and operational models create distinct logistical and competitive hurdles.
The two primary factors causing recruitment and retention difficulties include:
- Inaccessible Rural Locations & Public Transport Barriers
According to local planning and infrastructure assessments published by Staffordshire Authorities, both Alton Towers and JCB operate vast facilities in highly rural pockets of the county.
The Public Transport Gap: Local public transport options are heavily limited and typically do not run late enough or early enough to match the shift patterns of either employer.
The Commute Burden: Reviews from local workers on platforms like SimplyHired note that non-driving local staff face highly stressful or prolonged commutes (sometimes taking up to two hours via limited staff shuttle buses), which quickly makes entry-level or minimum-wage roles financially non-viable.
2. Wage and Poaching Competition Between the Two
Because they pull from the exact same local labor pool in neighboring towns like Cheadle and Uttoxeter, they often find themselves in direct competition for workers, creating a localized hiring tug-of-war.
The Pay Disparity: Users on Reddit’s AltonTowers forum point out that Alton Towers struggles heavily to retain staff in certain operational positions because nearby JCB acts as a “better payer,” poaching local talent away with higher industrial wages.
Seasonal vs. Year-Round Stability: Alton Towers’ recruitment model relies heavily on hiring roughly 1,500 to 2,500 seasonal workers annually who are let go between November and March. Local school-leavers and workers frequently jump from Alton Towers to JCB when looking for permanent, year-round manufacturing contracts.
There are some obvious things, that could be done to ease getting to Alton Towers and JCB.
Do Alton Towers And JCB Have Visitors From London And The Nearby Continent?
I asked this question of Google AI and received this answer.
Yes, both Alton Towers and JCB attract significant numbers of visitors from London and mainland Europe. Because both attractions are located close to each other in Staffordshire, England, they draw heavily from the capital city as well as international tourists through well-established transportation links.
Alton Towers Resort
As the UK’s largest theme park, Alton Towers welcomes over 2.5 million visitors annually.
Visitors from London: Londoners make up a large segment of the park’s domestic traffic. Travelers frequently make the trip from London Euston to Stoke-on-Trent via Avanti West Coast trains, which takes approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes before a short connecting taxi ride to the gates. Numerous direct coach excursions also depart regularly from London neighborhoods like Wembley and East Ham.
Visitors from the Continent: European theme park enthusiasts routinely include Alton Towers in UK vacation packages to experience its world-renowned “white-knuckle” rollercoasters (like The Smiler or Nemesis Reborn). International tourists commonly fly into nearby hubs like Manchester Airport (MAN) or travel up via the Eurostar and London rail connections.
JCB World Headquarters & Factory Tours
Located in Rocester, the JCB World Headquarters operates a highly popular VIP Visitor Centre and public factory tour experience.
Visitors from London: Industrial tourism and corporate groups frequently travel from London for the 2.5-hour “Story of JCB” manufacturing walkthrough. The company heavily markets to the London crowd, recently launching major public showcases directly outside London’s King’s Cross Station to celebrate its milestones.
Visitors from the Continent: Because JCB is a global powerhouse in construction and agriculture, its Staffordshire headquarters is a major destination for European dealership delegations, commercial buyers, and equipment enthusiasts from France, Germany, and the Netherlands.
On this cursory look, it would appear that for both attractions, a direct train service from Uttoxeter station could make travel easier.
Would Early And Late Trains Between Say Leicester And Stockport Via Derby Help Alton Towers’s And JCB’s Recruitment?
Yes, introducing early and late train services between Leicester and Stockport via Derby would significantly boost recruitment for both Alton Towers and JCB. Both major employers are located in semi-rural Staffordshire, and their primary staffing constraint is the severe lack of viable public transport matching their unsociable shift patterns.
A rail service connecting Leicester and Stockport via the Crewe-Derby line passes directly through Uttoxeter, which serves as the main transit gateway for both companies.
Alleviating the Alton Towers Commute Crisis
Alton Towers relies on thousands of seasonal workers, ride hosts, and hospitality staff who are often younger and do not drive due to high insurance costs. On platforms like Reddit, staff agree that the limited existing employee bus schedules result in grueling 16-hour days due to poorly timed drop-offs and pick-ups.
Late-Night Events: Key seasonal periods like Scarefest require staff to work late cleaning and hospitality shifts ending past 11:00 PM.
Urban Talent Pools: Early and late trains would allow workers living in major urban hubs like Derby, Stoke-on-Trent, and the surrounding regions to commute reliably without needing to rely on expensive taxis or restricted private buses.
Unlocking Shift Coverage for JCB
JCB’s main manufacturing and logistics clusters are centered around Rocester and Uttoxeter. A major portion of their workforce operates on rigid shift patterns (such as 6:00 AM starts or late evening finishes).
Apprentice Mobility: JCB runs joint mechatronics apprenticeships where students spend their first 22 months training at Toyota in Derby before transitioning to the Uttoxeter sites. Better early/late rail links between Derby and Uttoxeter would directly ease this cross-county relocation friction.
Widening the Demographic: Reviews from recruitment groups on Facebook emphasize that confirming shift logistics is the hardest part of securing employment at JCB for younger workers. Reliable, early-morning transit expands their hiring radius to encompass South Manchester (Stockport) and the East Midlands (Derby/Leicester).
It certainly looks like early and late trains would be valuable to both attractions.
But it doesn’t have to be a full London Manchester service with an expensive train. I’m sure Alstom at Derby could build a four-car Adessia battery-electric train, that could handle the route, which would also be suitable for the local Crewe and Lincoln service.
The Size Of The UK’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
I want to refer to this more and more, so I’ve put it in a separate post.
This map from the European Atlas of the Seas, shows the various exclusive economic zones (EEZ) in the North Sea.
Note.
- The pinkish zone to the East of the UK, is the UK’s EEZ.
- The light blue zone at the top is Norway’s EEZ.
- The greenish zone in the North-East corner of the map is Denmark’s EEZ.
- The light blue zone below Denmark’s EEZ is Germany’s EEZ.
- Then we have the EEZs for The Netherlands, Belgium and France.
The Dogger Bank is situated where the UK, Dutch, German and Norwegian EEZs meet.
Didn’t we do well!
But Belgium and Germany miss out badly, when it comes for virgin sea to fill with wind farms.
Centrica And Return Partner To Scale Battery Flexibility In Germany
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Centrica.
This is the sub-heading.
Centrica Energy and Return have signed long-term Virtual Tolling agreement for 100 MW / 400 MWh of battery storage flexibility in Germany. The contracted capacity is not tied to one dedicated battery project. Instead, it is provided through Return’s Virtual Flexibility Portfolio (VFP), bringing together capacity from Return-owned battery storage assets across Germany
These two paragraphs add more details.
The structure gives Centrica access to Return’s virtual flexibility portfolio, creating greater diversification and resilience, while the underlying capacity remains backed by physical battery energy storage systems (BESS). Rather than relying on one dedicated asset, capacity can be provided from across Return’s broader German battery portfolio.
The deal marks a new partnership between the two companies and brings together complementary strengths: Return provides the physical battery assets and operational expertise, while optimisation will rely on Centrica Energy’s established multi-market optimisation service, with participation across Wholesale Markets and Ancillary Services in Germany to commercialise the flexibility in the market.
It should be noted that this is the third major battery project, where Centrica are optimising a battery in Europe. The others were in Sweden and Finland.
I suspect that Centrica do a good job, when they are asked.
Are Centrica Good At Optimising Grid Batteries?
I asked Google AI this question and received this reply.
Yes, Centrica is considered a strong and established player in grid battery (BESS) optimisation.
Centrica Energy leverages over 15 years of flexible asset trading experience and has actively optimised battery energy storage systems since 2018. They currently manage over 950 MW of grid-scale batteries on contract across the UK and Europe.
Key Strengths in Optimisation
Portfolio Diversification: Unlike smaller or newer software-only optimisers, Centrica balances battery risk alongside a diverse portfolio of renewables, thermal plants, and gas peakers.
Large balance sheets allow them to offer robust financial backing and revenue security (such as multi-year fixed-payment structures) to asset developers.
Verified Performance: Their Centrica Energy BESS Optimisation results—such as strong gross value capture in markets like Belgium—have undergone independent agreed-upon procedures by Deloitte.
Advanced Forecasting: They use proprietary algorithms, meteorology data, and machine learning models to trade dynamically across wholesale, balancing, and ancillary service markets.
They seem to have got all the issues comprehensively covered.
Centrica Energy And Zelestra Sign Battery Storage Tolling Agreement
The title of of this post, is the same as that as this press release from Centrica.
This is the sub-heading.
Centrica Energy and Zelestra have signed a physical tolling agreement for 99 MW / 297 MWh of battery storage capacity at Zelestra’s Hilgermissen BESS project, located in Lower Saxony, Germany.
These three paragraphs add some more details.
Under the agreement, Zelestra will develop, construct and own the battery storage project, building on their experience in delivering major projects in other markets and their extensive pipeline across Europe. Engineering and procurement activities will be completed this year leading to start of construction in 2027 and operations in 2028.
Under the tolling agreement, the battery will be optimised through Centrica Energy’s multi-market trading and optimisation services, enabling participation across Day-Ahead, Intraday and Ancillary Services in Germany.
Lower Saxony has a strong industrial base, from the automotive industry to agriculture and food production, as well as being a strong wind power and biomass energy producer. With a growing need for flexible capacity to support the stability and resilience of the power system, the BESS project will help accelerate renewable integration, strengthen grid flexibility and support Germany’s wider decarbonisation objectives.
In some ways, I find this press release a bit surprising.
Surely, a nation like Germany has the mathematicians, who are capable of doing this optimisation of a Battery Energy Storage System or BESS.
In New Optimisation Agreement For 70 MW / 160 MWh BESS In Sweden, I wrote about Centrica doing the same thing for the Swedes.
It strikes me, that somewhere in Centrica are one or more very bright mathematicians.
They have a web page, where they describe what they can do for your BESS.
I also believe, that underlying the management of the UK’s gas and the Grain LNG Terminal, which I talk about in Andy Burnham Set For Clash With MPs Over North Sea Oil And Gas, there is some very clever mathematics.
RWE To Build Large-Scale Storage At Hambach Mine
The title of this post is the same as that of this press release from RWE.
These four bullet points act as sub-headings.
- 236 megawatts capacity and 470 megawatt-hours storage capacity
- First battery containers have been delivered; commissioning is planned for 2027
- Large-scale storage system balances fluctuations in the electricity grid in fractions of a second
- RWE currently constructing around 1.7 Gigawatts of battery storage capacity in Germany
This first paragraph gives some more details.
RWE is continuing to expand its battery storage portfolio and is constructing a new large-scale storage facility on the site of the Hambach opencast mine. The battery storage facility is being built near the village of Niederzier in the district of Düren. Preparatory work on a three-hectare site began at the end of 2025. The first of a total of 128 lithium-ion battery containers have already been delivered. The large-scale storage facility will have a capacity of 236 megawatts (MW) and a storage capacity of 470 megawatt-hours (MWh). The facility is scheduled to come on stream in 2027.
Note.
- According to the Wikipedia entry for the Hambach opencast mine, it was used to mine lignite or brown coal.
- The battery will be a two-hour battery.
- The site was originally the Hambach Forest, of which only ten percent remains, as the rest has been cut down because of the mining.
- The pit is 500 metres deep.
- Full cessation of lignite mining planned by 2030 as part of Germany’s coal phase-out.
The site is being gradually transformed into a reclaimed landscape, including the future Hambach lake.
It is well-worth reading the whole Wikipedia entry for the Hambach opencast mine.