Denmark has come up with a practical idea to help its clean energy needs. The Scandinavian nation intends to build an artificial island 80km off its western coast in the North Sea. It is expected to be in full operation by 2033. It hopes the ambitious project will end Denmark's reliance on fossil fuels within the next three decades. Denmark is currently Europe's largest oil-producing country, so a move towards 100 per cent clean energy and the end of oil production will provide a huge boost for its green credentials. Jacob Ostergaard, a professor of electric power and energy, described the project as, "a cornerstone in the green transition which will help facilitate the reduction of Danish CO2 emissions".
The island will be roughly the size of 18 football fields. It is projected to cost around $34 billion to construct. Much of the energy generated will come from wind farms. These will produce enough electricity to power three million households in Denmark and help make the country carbon neutral. The professor explained that the island had enormous potential to create a greener, cleaner Europe. He said: "In the North Sea, we have tremendous potential for offshore wind, about 180 giga-watts in total. That means we can actually shut down all European coal-fired power plants." Professor Ostergaard added: "It's a Danish initiative, but this, at least with time, is going to be an international effort."
