Headlines | News France delays cross-channel link
France Transmission & distribution French authorities on 8 October denied an important maritime concession for the 2 GW Aquind interconnector project, reports news agency Reuters, effectively halting progress on the planned high-voltage HVDC link between Normandy in France and the south coast of the United Kingdom.
While the project received environmental
approval in July, the concession required a national-level recognition of public interest, which was not validated, the Seine-Maritime prefecture said in a statement on 8 October. “We are surprised by this decision, given the growing need for interconnection identified at the European level, particularly between France and Great Britain, and the policies implemented in this respect,” said Martin
Dubourg, Aquind director for France. While presenting a risk for the project, the decision does not call into question its relevance or eventual completion, he added. The interconnector as planned is expected to transmit over 17 TWh of electricity annually between France and Great Britain, which amounts to 5% and 3% of their total consumption respectively.
Greenconnect to expand biomethane network Europe Biomethane
Denmark’s Energinet and France’s transmission system operator NaTran have launched the Greenconnect initiative, a cross-border partnership designed to accelerate the integration of biomethane into Europe’s gas networks. The collaboration aims to enhance renewable gas flows between the two countries and redefine how the EU structures its Projects of Common Interest (PCI).
Agreed at the close of 2024, Greenconnect supports Europe’s goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030. Under national plans, France targets 44 TWh of biomethane
production – representing around 15% of its gas use – while Denmark expects to meet 100% of its gas consumption with 14 TWh of biomethane by the same deadline.
To achieve this, Energinet and NaTran will develop and expand infrastructure to facilitate biomethane injection into existing gas grids. A key element of the work involves reverse flow stations that allow gas to move in both directions across interconnected systems. NaTran plans to increase its number of installations from 27 at the end of 2024 to more than 150 by 2030, while Energinet aims to operate 11 in total.
Both operators have also committed to closer technical cooperation – sharing operational feedback, aligning quality standards, and jointly advancing R&D programs within European These efforts are intended to harmonise renewable gas standards and enable smoother cross-border exchanges.
With Greenconnect, France and Denmark are demonstrating that large-scale biomethane injection into national transport networks is practical and advancing – driving energy security, and supporting the EU’s long-term vision for a carbon-neutral energy system.
RE growth leads to fall in fossil fuel generation
Worldwide Renewables Solar and wind outpaced the growth in global electricity demand in the first half of 2025, resulting in a very small decline in both coal and gas, compared to the same period last year. New analysis from energy think tank Ember shows that record solar growth and steady wind expansion are reshaping the global power mix, as renewables overtake coal
for the first time on record.
“We are seeing the first signs of a crucial senior electricity analyst at Ember. “Solar and wind are now growing fast enough to meet the world’s growing appetite for electricity. This marks the beginning of a shift where clean power is keeping pace with demand growth. As costs of technologies continue to fall, now is
the perfect moment to embrace the economic, social and health benefits that come with increased solar, wind and batteries.” Global electricity demand rose 2.6 % in the first half of 2025, adding 369 TWh compared to the same period last year. Solar alone met 83 % of the rise, owing to record generation growth in absolute terms (306 TWh, +31 % year-on-year).
Oscilla Power validates Triton-C system
USA Wave power US renewable energy developer Oscilla Power has confirmed the successful validation of its 100 kW Triton-C wave energy system at the US Navy’s Wave Energy Test Site (WETS) in Hawaii. According to the company, the deployment demonstrated strong performance across Triton-C’s core systems and produced a comprehensive dataset to support validation and guide future design improvements. Oscilla Power said the testing represents a key milestone in advancing its wave energy technology. In a statement shared on social media, the company thanked the US Department of
Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office, along with its supporters and investors, for their role in the project’s progress. The Triton-C is a multi-mode point absorber
that combines a geometrically optimised surface float with a vertically asymmetric heave plate. While the device is designed to produce around 100 kW in high-energy wave environments such as the US West Coast, the gentler wave conditions in Hawaii – about half the rated energy intensity – provided valuable operational data for broader site deployment assessments. Oscilla Power said the Hawaii testing campaign has yielded critical validation results that will inform the next stage of
Triton-C development. In April 2024 the company released
footage of its 1:6 scale prototype of a planned 1 MW Triton wave energy converter deployed off the US East Coast, underlining its ongoing efforts to advance commercial-scale wave energy generation.
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