Europe must free itself from Russian fossil fuels as soon as possible. That is why there is a country that is already looking for alternatives to escape this dependency: Denmark. In the frigid waters of the North Sea, the Scandinavian country is accelerating the construction of an unprecedented energy project that had already been announced in 2020: the so-called “energy islands”.
It is considered the largest construction project in Danish history, with an estimated cost of €34 billion. It is also the future of renewable energy.
The project. These are mega-constructions made up of sets of wind turbines that will be placed on a kind of artificial islands and that will allow Denmark to generate much more energy than that produced by other wind farms in the world. It was scheduled to be completed by 2030; but, following the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Danish government announced that it will seek to accelerate its completion as a European alternative for Russian oil and gas.
“Denmark and Europe must free themselves from Russian fossil fuels as quickly as possible,” explained Energy Minister Dan Jørgensen.
The “green” trend. According to official data, almost 49% of the total energy produced by Denmark comes from wind sources. Meanwhile, the International Energy Agency estimates that about 16% of the country’s generation currently depends on Russia (in 2016 it was 34%). Denmark has a long history of harnessing strong winds from the sea to produce electricity. In fact, it was the first country in the world to build an offshore wind farm in 1991.
With its Climate Law in 2019, Copenhagen committed to a 70% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. In December, the government announced that it would end all new oil and gas exploration in the Sea of North.
artificial islands. More than 400 natural islands are part of Denmark, including Greenland, but the country now wants to add artificial ones for energy purposes. The construction of the first “energy islands” were announced in mid-2020. At the time, the Danish Energy Agency said they would be the first of their kind in the world and that they sought to exploit the “immense wind resources in the North Seas and Baltic”.
Now, hundreds of wind turbines will be connected to these artificial islands, allowing Denmark to generate much more power than other offshore wind projects. One will be based in the North Sea and will produce 3 GW of power. The other will be built on the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea, generating 2GW from offshore wind power. They will serve as hubs to connect wind turbines to power grids in the region surrounding the two seas. Together they will be able to power at least 5 million European homes.
Who will benefit? Since it will be considered “critical infrastructure” for the country, the government announced that it will control at least 50.1% of the islands, while the rest will go to private companies. The project plans to supply electricity not only to the Danes, but also to the power grids of other neighboring countries. Countries like Belgium, the UK, Germany and the Netherlands could also benefit.
Currently, most countries that use wind sources do so through isolated turbine parks, which supply energy directly to the electricity grid. With the creation of the islands, wind turbines can be placed further from the coast and distribute the electricity they generate between several countries more efficiently. The project, however, has also received several questions, mainly because of its high cost, the highest that Denmark has paid for a construction.
Can Europe escape its dependence on Russia? They were originally scheduled to be operational in 2030, but now Denmark is looking to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels faster in the wake of the war in Ukraine. Already 48.6% of the total energy produced by the country comes from wind power. According to the International Energy Agency, almost 16% of Denmark’s power generation depends on Russia. It is down from 34% in 2016, but the country now hopes to push for full independence from this source.
The country hopes that talks with Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and the European Commission can help with a rapid energy transition. They will present concrete plans on how North Sea offshore wind power can help the EU achieve climate neutrality and energy independence. “The EU must become independent from Russian fossil fuels as quickly as possible and the best way forward is for European countries to work together to increase and accelerate the construction of renewable energy in the North Sea,” he concluded.