Denmark Wants To Build ‘Energy Islands’ To Free Europe From Using Russian Fuel

A visualization of an ‘Energy Island’ that Denmark plans to install in the North Sea. Image via Danish Energy Agency

Denmark is moving to debut the world’s first artificial “energy island,” which would generate enough electricity for 10 million European households. However, as tensions with Russia intensify, it now intends to build more of these islands to wean off the continent’s reliance on Russian fossil fuels. 

The Danish government announced its accelerated plans for green energy production at a press conference this month, where it outlined the importance of doubling down on offshore wind and generating renewable energy on land.

 Dan Jørgensen, the country’s Minister of Climate, Energy, and Utilities, declared that Denmark and the European Union must dissolve their dependence on Russian fossil fuels “as fast as possible,” offshoreWIND.biz quotes.

The North Sea has the potential to harness at least 35 gigawatts of offshore wind energy, about the same amount that was yielded on a global scale in 2020, according to the Danish government.

While plans for the energy islands and an expansion for green energy are in motion, Denmark is considering temporarily increasing the production of natural gas so Europe can stop using Russian energy in the meantime, Bloomberg reports.

Energy independence is only possible if the country ramps up its supply, the Danish government stresses. At the same time, increased efforts will help to alleviate the climate problem.

[via offshoreWIND.biz, State of Green, Bloomberg, cover image via Danish Energy Agency]