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Denmark eyes Germany among top wind farm clients

October 9, 2021

Denmark is expecting Germany to be a key market for its green energy. "Germany will need all the renewable energy it can get," Denmark's environment minister said.

https://p.dw.com/p/41TNJ
a person in a blue coat skis on a slope while looking out at the sea with some wind turbines near the coast
Denmark is planning to build a huge offshore wind turbine islandImage: Jochen Tack/picture alliance

Denmark's Climate Minister Dan Jorgensen told German current affairs magazine Der Spiegel on Saturday that he expects the demand for green fuel and electricity produced by Denmark's future wind farm project to grow, particularly in Germany.

Jorgensen cited Germany's ambitious commitment of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 65% from 1990 levels by 2030.

"Germany will need all the renewable energy it can get," he told Spiegel.

Denmark's plans to construct a giant artificial island for around 200 wind turbines could be the country's biggest-ever infrastructure project.

The project marks the beginning of "a new age of wind power," Jorgensen told the magazine. "No one has done anything like this before," he added.

Jorgensen's department and Germany's Economics Ministry have set up a joint working group, and it is investigating possibilities for cooperation.

wind turbines at sea
Denmark plans to build the project by the Baltic SeaImage: picture alliance

What we know about the project

The island is billed to be as large as 18 soccer fields to make room for the turbines.

The turbines are set to initially generate 3 gigawatts, enough electricity for around three million households.

Later, the island will triple in size to make room for a total of 650 turbines, according to the report by Spiegel.

The development of the entire project is set to cost around €28 billion ($32 billion).

Denmark's goal is to have energy flowing from the island by 2033 — in 12 years time. 

The plan is to generate enough energy to sell abroad. Denmark is planning to target key industries that are shifting to green energy to meet climate targets, the Spiegel report outlines.

German offshore wind farms stall

Some experts, however, have voiced concerns about the financial viability of the project, citing overestimations in the price of wind power.

Leaders set to meet for COP26

Jorgenson's comments come ahead of the United Nations COP26 climate summit taking place in Glasgow at the end of October and early November.

During this time, world leaders will get together to discuss meeting climate targets, such as those laid out in the 2015 Paris Agreement that sets out global warming should be limited to well below 2%.

Kate Martyr
Kate Martyr Editor and video producer at DW's Asia Desk and News Digital