Denmark is building the first sustainable energy hub on an artificial island

In order to achieve the goals set out in the Paris Agreement, we still have to lend a hand in a few places. Emissions must be reduced significantly and processes gradually designed to be sustainable. One sector that plays a key role in this is the energy sector. According to the Federal Environment Agency the conversion of energy sources accounted for almost 85 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions last year.

In this country we still rely quite a lot on coal, almost 24 percent of the electricity generated comes from lignite and hard coal (source). Denmark, on the other hand, has a very strong connection to oil. The country to the north of us is (still) the largest oil producer in the European Union, but here too we want to achieve our own emissions targets. An artificial island should make a major contribution to this.

The project is to be built almost 80 kilometers off the Danish coast and cost up to 28 billion euros. An area of ​​120,000 square meters is then to be enclosed by 200 to 600 wind turbines and, in the first phase, will provide electricity for 3 million households. In order to always have energy available and to be able to absorb voltage peaks, huge energy storage systems are to be built on the island.

One day sustainable fuels will also be produced in the area. The sustainably produced electricity could, for example, be used for the production of hydrogen, a fuel that is increasingly in demand by end customers (hydrogen vehicles), but also by companies. There is also the possibility of producing ammonia, a substance that could be used in future ship engines.

The company is the first of its kind in the world and is intended to help the country reduce its emissions by up to 70 percent by 2030 (compared to 1990). One then wants to be completely climate neutral by 2050. The project is the largest in the country’s history to date.

Own opinion:

Denmark shows what a sustainable future can look like. An almost infinite amount of free energy is available on our oceans, and through the use of efficient wind and water turbines we could supply entire nations with minimal emissions. The energy transition is advancing in Germany as well, but in my opinion a lot more courage is needed here.

via Fast Company and Danish Energy Agency