Denmark has agreed to build an island in the North Sea that will collect and distribute electricity from wind farms.
Authorities say the artificial island will be as large as 18 football fields and will produce and store enough green energy to meet the electricity needs of 3 million European households. It also provides clean power for use in shipping, aviation, industry and heavy transport.
The € 28 billion construction project is the largest of its kind in Danish history. The government will own a 51% stake on the island, while the rest will be owned by the private sector.
“This is a huge project,” said Professor Jacob Østergaard, who heads the Center for Electric Power and Energy at the Technical University of Denmark. “It is and will be a cornerstone in the green transition and the reduction of Danish CO2 emissions.”
Denmark has set itself the ambitious target of reducing carbon emissions by 70% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. It aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
The island for green energy is also a big issue for the rest of Europe, Østergaard said. It will be built about 80 kilometers from the country’s west coast and connects with several European countries. It is expected to be up and running by 2033.
“In the North Sea, we have a huge potential for offshore wind, 180 gigawatts in total. That means we can switch off all European coal-fired power plants,” and rather use this green energy, he explained.
“It’s a Danish initiative, or at least we took the first step. But it’s going to be an international effort, at least in time.”
Hear more from Prof Østergaard in the video player above.