A planned $30 bn offshore wind island would power 10 million homes. It plans to connect neighboring offshore wind farms to a natural island or artificial platform and distribute the generated energy between North Sea countries. The unused wind energy generated in off-peak hours or at night can be used to produce Hydrogen.
Hydrogen can be used to power cars, ships, and other means of transport. It is considered one of the best options for clean fuel in the future. Hydrogen produces water when it burns rather than greenhouse gas CO2.
Denmark has adopted a groundbreaking law that targets reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 70 percent by 2030 and be completely carbon neutral by 2050. Denmark already covered 41 percent of its electricity demand from wind energy in 2018, the highest level in Europe.
The Danish government wants to build an artificial island with huge open-sea wind farms. An initial investment of €8.7 million included in Denmark's Finance Act for 2020 will fund feasibility studies for the project and development of technologies capable of converting large amounts of electricity.
"This island will make it possible to convert renewable electricity in a big way and to save energy," Denmark's Climate and Energy Minister Dan Jørgensen said at the World Climate Change Conference in Madrid. He expects the mega-project to cost around EUR 27 to 40 billion. It should go into operation before 2030.
The "vast majority" of the additional investment coming from the private sector. Energy Minister Dan Jørgensen explained that energy captured at the offshore hub could be converted into green fuel for hard-to-decarbonize industries such as aviation and shipping.
According to Jørgensen, the wind farm will have a peak output of 10 gigawatts. That would be equivalent to around 1,000 of today's most efficient high-sea windmills.
It will also carry out technical studies and discuss partnerships with other North Sea countries before making a final decision on whether to proceed with the project. The idea of using artificial islands to link North Sea countries with offshore wind farms has been considered before.
Danish operator Energinet, one of the DTU's partners on the project, is also working with Dutch TSO Tennet to develop a wind power hub in the North Sea. The UK's Oil and Gas Authority is exploring the potential of creating artificial islands on which wind-generated electricity and Hydrogen can be produced.
Sites will be examined in the sea off the east coast of Denmark's central Jutland region, the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, the energy ministry said.
"If we really are to realize the enormous potential of offshore wind, we must develop technologies of the future to convert the green power into fuel for aircraft, ships, and industry," said climate and energy minister Dan Jorgensen.
Interest in renewable Hydrogen is growing as heavy industry, aviation, and shipping look for ways to reduce their carbon footprint. Among others, the energy company Orsted said it is planing to invest in pilot projects which will create hydrogen fuel from wind power and from renewable energy sources.
Other examples of clean energy generation are found in this video by Cool Gadgets & Stuff:
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