The newly signed cooperation agreement between Luxembourg and Denmark aims at realizing concrete investments in the innovative Danish energy island project. The project is an essential step in the European ambition to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. The energy islands enable renewable energy production at a previously unseen scale accelerating the European phase-out of fossil fuels.
“Denmark and Luxembourg are committed to Europe’s green energy transition. Today, we take an important step forward by strengthening the cooperation to develop and establish the world’s first offshore wind energy islands. A collaborative European approach is necessary in order to maximize the use of Europe’s renewable energy resources. This will increase renewable energy production considerably and promote green hydrogen technologies that can help decarbonize sectors like heavy transportation and industry in Europe”, says Danish Minister for Climate, Energy, and Utilities, Dan Jørgensen.
“Offshore wind will play an important role in the security of supply of the Western European electricity grid. I am pleased that Luxembourg, as a landlocked country, has the opportunity to actively participate in the development of the world’s first offshore wind energy islands and can thus contribute to this important development for the energy transition”, adds the Minister for Energy of Luxembourg, Claude Turmes.
The energy islands are the first step in a major regional development of offshore wind, which will help reduce CO2 throughout Europe. They can increase supply of green power and help fulfil the ambition of the EU’s Offshore Strategy on Renewable Energy to reach 300 GW in 2050 to reach climate neutrality.
Facts
- This is a political non-binding agreement, aiming to realize concrete joint investments in the energy island projects,
- During the last year Denmark has agreed to promote the development of offshore wind and the energy islands with Belgium (February 2021), Germany (December 2020) and the Netherlands (June 2020).
- The EU has set a goal to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 at the latest and the Commission has estimated that 300 GW offshore wind energy is needed in order to deliver climate neutrality.
- Experts and the industry estimate that approximately 150 GW could be placed in the North Sea and approximately 80 GW could be established in the Baltic Sea.
- By constructing the world’s first energy islands with a potential capacity of 12 GW, this project significantly contributes to this vision.
Contact:
Press advisor, Emil Lee Madsen, emlma@kefm.dk, phone: +45 41 72 90 58
Paul Matzet, paul.matzet@energie.etat.lu, phone: +352 247 86 908