(Copenhagen) – The Danish government's plans for the “VindØ” project are moving into the next phase. The Danish engineering and management consulting company Ramboll Group A/S has now been commissioned to prepare detailed studies on the two planned energy hubs, which are to be built on the island of Bornholm and on an artificial island off Jutland.
These “hubs” could collect electricity from surrounding wind farms and distribute it between countries connected via the power grid. In addition, wind energy will be used to produce climate-friendly fuels for shipping, aviation, heavy industry or heavy-duty vehicles.
The artificial island will have a port and facilities to store and convert the revenue from offshore wind turbines in the sea. The initial capacity of the two hubs will be five gigawatts, three times Denmark's currently installed offshore capacity. An expansion to twelve gigawatts is planned later. The first phase includes around 200 offshore wind turbines 80 kilometers west of the Jutland coast.
Production of hydrogen with wind power
The island will have a total area of at least 120.000 square meters and will initially be able to supply three million European households with green energy. If fully implemented, the needs of ten million households will be met.
As part of detailed studies, Ramboll will examine the possibilities of producing green hydrogen and ammonia on the island, as well as the construction of a data center and technologies for storing wind power. For example, electrolysis will produce significant amounts of heat as a byproduct - in some scenarios, enough to power several major Danish cities, the company says. Another key component is the creation of quality of life, because many people stay on the island, sometimes only for short periods of time, but also for longer periods of time. 
The primary connection point to the energy island is the port. This must meet numerous usage requirements, from the shipping and landing of construction materials, to the products manufactured on the island, to the daily transfer of crews and supplies. The island is also well positioned as a starting point for the operation and maintenance of offshore wind farms. The port could also be of interest to fisheries, coast guards and other service providers.
Over the course of this year, 20 to 30 Ramboll experts from different areas will work on solutions for the energy island and help the VindØ consortium prepare the upcoming tenders.
Public private partnership between Denmark and investors
The project, announced in 2019, is a public-private partnership between the Danish state and private companies. The VindØ consortium consists of two of the country's largest pension funds (PensionDenmark and PFA) as well as Denmark's largest energy company Andel (formerly SEAS-NVE), with Nykredit as a financing partner. According to the information, the project development initially requires up to 400 million crowns (54 million euros). The consortium is supported by the investment company Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners.
According to government figures, Denmark is currently the largest oil producer in the EU. The country wants to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 percent by 70 and phase out fossil fuel production by 2050. “The EU has set itself the goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050, and the Commission has set a target of 300 gigawatts of offshore wind energy,” says Danish Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities, Dan Jørgensen. By building the world's first energy hub of this size, "Denmark is making a significant contribution to this ambitious goal."
deep link
https://en.kefm.dk/news/news-archive/2021/feb/denmark-decides-to-construct-the-world’s-first-windenergy-hub-as-an-artificial-island-in-the-north-sea
https://ramboll.com/media/rgr/ramboll-to-support-the-vindo-consortium-in-developing-innovative-solutions
https://www.windisland.dk
Illustration above
Graphical representation of the possible harbor view / © VindØ Consortium
Illustration middle
Model of the energy island (Editor's note: Clicking on the illustration takes you to a remarkable 3D rendering of the future island with different viewing angles.) / © VindØ Consortium
