Denmark this week approved a plan to build the world’s first energy island in the North Sea that will produce and store enough sustainable energy to meet the electricity needs of 3 million European households.
The artificial island, which in its initial phase will be the size of 18 soccer fields, will be connected to hundreds of offshore wind turbines and will supply power to homes and green hydrogen for use in shipping, aviation, industry and heavy transport.
The move came as the European Union unveiled plans to transform its electricity system to rely primarily on renewable energy within a decade and increase its offshore wind capacity by 25 times by 2050.
“This is truly a great moment for Denmark and for the global green transition,” Energy Minister Dan Jorgensen told a news conference.
“(The island) will make a great contribution to the realization of the huge potential of European offshore wind energy,” he said.
The island, which will cost around DKK 210 billion ($33.9 billion) to build, is an important part of Denmark’s legally binding target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70% by 2030 from 1990 levels, one of the most ambitious in the world.
The Nordic country, home to wind turbine manufacturer Vestas and offshore wind farm developer Orsted, was a pioneer in onshore and offshore wind power with its downwind speeds and built the world’s first offshore wind farm nearly 30 years ago.
In December, it decided to halt the search for oil and gas in the Danish part of the North Sea and hopes instead to turn it into a center for carbon storage and renewable energy.
The island, to be located 80 kilometers off Denmark’s west coast, and the surrounding wind turbines will have an initial capacity of 3 gigawatts and will be operational around 2033.
Denmark also has plans for an energy island in the Baltic Sea. The state will have a controlling stake in both islands.
