Determination and clear action are needed as Europe contributes in the coming decade to the ambition of the Paris climate agreements to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees while phasing out Russian gas and oil. Renewable energy is a central part of the answer to both of these challenges, and the Danish part of the North Sea has the potential to drive much of Europe’s green transformation.
Denmark has taken the lead in finding ways to realize the enormous renewable potential of the North Sea. The decision of the Danish Parliament to build an energy island in the North Sea marks a new era in the transition to renewable energy, and if the island is designed correctly, it can become the key to the green transformation of Denmark and the Europe.
Ørsted + ATP and its partners have a vision to build more than just an island, wanting to create an island in constant development. A future-proof island with unlimited space for innovation and adaptation as the green transformation evolves.
The North Sea Energy Island consists of a small artificial island, which can be expanded with flexible modules that can be added and replaced as needed. The modules are built onshore and connected to the North Sea Energy Island, meaning the island can easily be upgraded to accommodate over 10GW of offshore wind energy, which is the ambition present in Denmark. It can also be adapted to accommodate rapid developments in Power-to-X and other technologies in 2030 and 2050.
Flexible modules are the most scalable solution. It is also the direct way to provide large amounts of green energy as quickly as possible. Modules can be built on land, while reclaimed island and offshore wind turbines are built at sea, which will result in considerable time savings during the construction phase. With this flexible and modular concept, Ørsted and ATP estimate that the energy island in the North Sea can provide green energy two years before an inflexible and confined island.
In this way, they will build an energy island that can be commissioned quickly and that is prepared from the start for an unknown technological future, and that can serve as a hub for offshore wind and new green technologies for decades to come. to come.
Rasmus Errboe, Area Manager Continental Europe at Ørsted, says: “We are ready to deliver an island that embraces the rapid development of renewable technologies and enables an intensification of green transformation. With our approach, the North Sea Energy Island will be more than just an island. We believe that our modular concept offers the best conditions to ensure that the energy island will remain relevant in 2030 and 2050, and we look forward to further dialogue with authorities and decision makers about the “North Sea energy island”.
Claus Wiinblad, Senior Vice President at ATP, says: “We think the flexibility of our concept is a great advantage and creates a very good climate-friendly energy solution, which is absolutely crucial when embarking on a long-term investment like this, and so there is a base to create a sensitive and risk-adjusted return.At the same time, we invest in the green transition, and in this way, The North Sea Energy Island fits both the climate ambitions of ATP and the objective of ATP to create the best retirements possible.
Jesper Kristian Jacobsen, CEO of Aarsleff, which leads the construction consortium on the “North Sea Energy Island”, says: “With this concept, we have taken well-known technologies and construction methods and combined them in a new, smart and revolutionary way suited to the harsh environment of the North Sea. This means that we can build an island energy provider that can sustain large-scale offshore wind, and is ready to meet future needs from the outset.”
Besides Aarsleff, the team of contractors includes Van Oord and Bouygues Construction.
Source: North Sea Energy Island
Top Image: Pixabay
