17-02-2021 | 16:37 PM
World’s First Energy Island
Context
The Government of Denmark has approved a project to build the world’s first energy island, in the North Sea.
Key Highlights
The energy island will be constructed in the North Sea and will be equal to the size of the 18 football fields.
The project will cost around 210 billion Danish crowns.
It will be constructed 80 kms off the west coast of Denmark.
The energy island will be surrounded by the wind turbines and it will have an initial capacity of 3 gigawatts.
The country has planned to make the energy island operational by 2033.
The decision to build the energy island was taken in the backdrop of the European Union’s plan to transform its electricity system to rely on renewable energy and to enhance its offshore wind capacity 25 times by 2050.
This energy island will produce and store enough green energy to meet the electricity needs of three million households in European countries. It will also be used to supply green hydrogen to use in heavy transport, shipping, aviation and industry.
The energy island will be connected to hundreds of offshore wind turbines so as to supply power to the households.
An energy centre acts as a hub that collects electricity from the surrounding offshore wind farm and distributes power between the connected countries via the power grid.
The hub will strengthen the integration of Europe’s power grids and increase the production of renewable electricity necessary for a climate-neutral Europe.
The expansion of the artificial island project would provide the best opportunities for the construction and storage facilities of a port and the conversion of green electricity from nearby wind turbines into the sea.
Note: Denmark is currently the largest producer of oil in the EU and is the largest producer to have ever established a final phase-out worldwide.
