Denmark’s government has just agreed to invest in an offshore artificial “energy island” . A deal was struck for the government to own 51% of the island with the other 49% owned by the private sector. It’s a massive investment both in scope and in physical size, as the island will be the size of 18 soccer fields and house at least 200 offshore wind turbines, and will be located 50 miles offshore in the North Sea. The green energy produced on the island is projected to power three million houses. To protect the island from storms, it will have high seawalls along three sides, with an open port on the fourth side.
Denmark’s climate minister thinks this is an important transition for the country.
Dan Jørgensen, the climate minister, said in a statement that “The energy hub in the North Sea will be the largest construction project in Danish history. It will make a big contribution to the realisation of the enormous potential for European offshore wind.”
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This project is part of a larger energy initiative.
Denmark plans on building two wind energy hubs : one artificial, the island, the other on the Baltic island of Bornholm. The projects will triple the energy they currently generate from wind power. And, they plan to continue expanding the two hubs. They are expecting to be able to more than double the capacity of the hubs.
It will take time to build the hubs.
The goal is to build the wind farms before 2033. If they can, this will help to reach their ambitious targets to cut greenhouse gases by 70% from 1990 levels.
However, this timeline may not be possible. To make the deadline, industry and government have been working together to speed the process. The government is committed to working with industry to secure investment for the remaining 49% stake in the project.
The effects of these wind farms will not be limited to Denmark.
The windfarms will be a tremendous step towards a greener future for both Denmark and the surrounding area. Jørgensen explains, “The 10GW when this is finalised will be producing far, far more clean energy than we can use as a country, so this is part of a strategy to help other countries meet their targets.”
Construction of the island is expected to begin in 2026. “This decision marks the start of a new era of sustainable energy production in Denmark and the world and it links very ambitious climate goals with growth and green jobs,” Jørgensen said.
h/t: The Guardian
