Viking Link rocks – recycling scheme saves tonnes of CO2

An initiative by Siemens Energy to reuse and recycle aggregate for use at the Viking Link Converter station site in Lincolnshire is predicted to save a total of 58 tonnes of CO2.

Around 8,768 tonnes of stone, enough to fill almost three Olympic-sized swimming pools will be moved to the Viking Link site. This had previously been used to build a temporary access road and site accommodation for the Triton Knoll Wind Farm project. It will be used to build an access road for the high voltage cabling works and converter station civil works.

Reusing this stone has had a major environmental and local impact, resulting in a reduction in harmful emissions and construction traffic in the Bicker Fen and Donington areas.

The initiative will save more than 58 tonnes of CO2 in total, the equivalent of the CO2 generated by heating 20 homes for one year. The saving has been achieved through diverting the used aggregate from landfill and reducing the amount of new aggregate the Viking Link project will need to source meaning 675 additional lorry trips to and from each site will be avoided in total.

Viking Link Project Director Mike Elmer said: "We are really pleased to be able to work with Siemens and recycle the stone from Triton Knoll for our Viking Link project. It not only reduces our carbon output but also minimises disruption for local residents. We will continue to look for other ways to reduce our carbon emissions wherever possible throughout the construction of Viking Link."

Viking Link will connect the energy systems of the UK and Denmark. The undersea cable will further boost the amount of renewable energy in the UK – another significant step in our journey to net zero.

Siemens Energy are building the UK converter station at Bicker Fen for Viking Link.  Once completed it will be 300m2, the equivalent of around 12 football pitches and will house state-of-the-art High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) PLUS technology, which enables the export and import of energy through the 765-kilometer subsea and underground cable to and from Denmark.