Denmark’s artificial energy island project

• Be N By IAS, Delhi
• 16, Feb 2021

For: GS-3: Environment, Renewable Energy

CONTEXT:

The Danish government on Thursday approved a plan to build an artificial island in the North Sea as part of its effort to switch to green energy. The project is being called the largest construction project to be undertaken in Denmark’s history with an estimated cost of DKK 210 billion.

ENERGY ISLAND IN DENMARK:

• Energy island: An energy island is based on a platform that serves as a hub for electricity generation from surrounding offshore wind farms.
• Purpose: The idea is to connect and distribute power between Denmark and neighbouring countries.
  • The artificial island: Its primary purpose is to provide large-scale offshore wind power.
• Agreement with Countries: Denmark has already entered into agreements with the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium to begin the joint analysis of connections in the energy island.
• Denmark wants to become the first country in the world to begin working on such energy islands with a total capacity of about 5 GW offshore winds.
• Timeline: The construction of both islands is expected to be complete by 2030.

IDEA OF ENERGY ISLAND:

• In June 2020, the Danish Parliament decided to initiate the construction of two energy islands, which will export power to mainland Denmark and neighbouring countries.
• Location: One in North Sea and the second in the Baltic Sea.
• EU announcement to Switch to Renewables: To transform its electricity system
  • To rely mostly on renewables within a decade and
  • To increase its offshore wind energy capacity
• By over 25-fold
• By the year 2050.

Source: Indian Express

MCQs:

Q. Recently artificial energy island project was started by which of the following country?

• a) Netherland
• b) Germany
• c) Denmark
• d) Belgium

ANS: C