Germany and its northern European neighbors plan to work together to build a green energy network, according to the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper.

Several countries will pool resources to build a high-tech electricity grid costing up to 30 billion euros ($43.3 billion), the Munich daily said on Tuesday.

Referring to government sources, the paper wrote that power would be shared through thousands of kilometers of high-voltage cable, with a large part of the network below the North Sea.

Connections across borders

The grid would guarantee supplies and markets for different renewable sources. It would link offshore wind farms off the German and British coasts, hydroelectric power stations in Norway and tidal power barrages on the Belgian and Danish coasts. Wind farms and solar power generators on land could also be connected.

Nine countries are reported to be involved in the scheme: Belgium, Britain, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Norway.

According to the newspaper, initial meetings took place in Ireland in December. National representatives were expected to meet in February, and an agreement on a timeline was envisaged for later in the year, the paper wrote, adding that the aim was to have the grid in place within 10 years.

rc/dpa/Reuters
Editor: Nancy Isenson