Denmark to build US$34 billion ‘clean energy island’ to achieve climate neutrality by 2050
- The 12 island will be created about 80km off the country’s west coast and will connect to several European countries
- The project is expected to be completed by 2033 and will initially be used to supply 3 gigawatts of electricity, enough to cover 3 million households
The government has secured broad political backing for Denmark’s largest construction project, a 210-billion kroner (US$34 billion) “clean energy island” in the North Sea that will help the country reach its goal of achieving climate neutrality in 2050.
The 120,000-square-metre (12ha) artificial island will be created about 80 kilometres (50 miles) off the country’s west coast and will connect to several European countries. It will host key infrastructure needed for a planned expansion of Denmark’s offshore windmills, the Energy Ministry said in a statement.
The project is expected to be completed by 2033 and will initially be used to supply 3 gigawatts of electricity, enough to cover 3 million households. Planners want to eventually raise that total to 10 gigawatts.
The goal is to use electricity from renewable sources like wind to fuel ships, planes and trucks, the Danish Energy Agency said.
“The energy hub in the North Sea will be the largest construction project in Danish history,” Energy Minister Dan Joergensen said on Thursday.
“Today we have taken a big step from vision to reality,” he said. “It will make a big contribution to the realisation of the enormous potential for European offshore wind.”
No date has been set yet for the start of construction of the island, which will be controlled by the Danish government.
