Denmark has agreed to build an island in the North Sea to collect and distribute electricity from wind farms.
Officials say the artificial island will be the size of 18 football fields and will produce and store enough green energy to cover the electricity needs of 3 million European homes. It will also provide clean energy 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 have a 51% stake in the island, with the rest in the hands of the private sector.
“It’s a gigantic project,” said Professor Jacob Østergaard, who runs the electricity and energy center at the Technical University of Denmark. “It is and will be a cornerstone in Denmark’s green transition and the reduction of CO2 emissions.”
Denmark has set itself an ambitious target of reducing carbon emissions by 70% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. It aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
The green energy island is also big business for the rest of Europe, Østergaard said. It will be built about 80 kilometers from the west coast of the country and will connect to several European countries. It is expected to be operational by 2033.
“In the North Sea, we have tremendous potential for offshore wind power, 180 gigawatts in total. That means we can close all European coal-fired plants” and take advantage of that green energy, he explained.
“It is a Danish initiative, or at least we have taken the first step. But that, at least over time, will be an international effort.”
Hear more from Prof Østergaard in the video player above.