Energy Islands - a Mars Mission for the Energy System

Energy Professors and researchers from Technical University of Denmark and Aalborg University, have joined forces to discover and inform in regards to the research needed to build the world's first energy islands in the Baltic Sea and the North Sea. The outcome is a white paper followed by three webinars where scientists, industry and the authorities come together and discuss possibilities and barriers for the energy islands.

Three challenges to address
The energy islands will be the first of their kind in the world, and constitute the next major paradigm shift for the energy system in general and for the leading Danish wind power industry. According to the authors of the white paper the construction of two energy islands by 2033 is the equivalent of a Mars Mission for the Danish energy system. 

"Firstly, because of the gap between the solutions we need and the solutions we have are still significant. Secondly, because it will require the combined innovation power of the public and private sector to design, plan, build and operate the islands in a cost efficient and reliable way. And thirdly, because the islands will be live test laboratories for the change that will shift the entire energy system in Denmark (and globally) in the coming decades as we head towards 100% independence from fossil fuels in 2050," writes the authors in the white paper.

Innovative solutions can save billions of DKK
Embarking on this "Mars mission" is challenging, but also rewarding, according to the authors. As it offers a unique opportunity to accelerate the development of clean power systems and provides us with a better understanding of how a decarbonized power system could look like in the future.

"The islands thus become a unique platform for innovation of new technical solutions, for example for how to optimally integrate Power-to-X with wind power, or how to integrate the wind turbines and the technical systems on the islands in completely new efficient ways. Our research shows that implementing smart solutions can save billions of kroner for the establishment of the islands," says Jacob Østergaard, Professor and Head of Center for Electric Power and Energy, DTU Elektro - and one of the authors.

"There is a need for new research that can develop these smart solutions securing that the islands will be build so the energy system is efficient, robust and secure, and so a fault in the electrical systems does not lead to a collapse of the overall energy system on land," says Jacob Østergaard and continues:

"Finally, it is important that we via research develop concepts for a future-proof establishment of the energy islands, so that we can expand the capacity by building on the first energy islands and ensure a future efficient utilization of offshore wind power potential in the North Sea of enormous 180 GW."

Read all the recommendations from a research perspective in the white paper:

Download the white paper in English (published 15.September 2021)

Download the white paper in Danish (published 15.September 2021)