Ørsted team proposes modular concept for North Sea energy island

Ørsted A/S (CPH:ORSTED) and ATP today suggested a modular concept of the energy island that the Danish parliament has decided to build in the North Sea.

The Danish offshore wind major and fellow Danish pension fund teamed up in April 2021 to take part in the upcoming tender for the energy island and later engaged construction specialists Aarsleff, Bouygues Construction and Van Oord in the initiative.

Ørsted, ATP and their partners are now presenting their concept, called the North Sea Energy Island, which consists of a small artificial island and the potential to add flexible modules built onshore as required. This means the island can in the future accommodate even more than Denmark’s current plan of 10 GW of offshore wind power, as well as other technologies such as Power-to-X.

“We believe that our modular concept offers the best conditions for ensuring that the energy island will remain relevant in both 2030 and 2050, and we’re looking forward to the further dialogue with the authorities and decision makers about the ‘North Sea Energy Island’, said Ørsted’s head of Region Continental Rasmus Errboe.

In addition, the proposal is a quicker way to deliver green power, the companies say. They estimate an energy island based on this flexible concept can deliver green power two years earlier than an inflexible, contained island.

Meanwhile, last week the Danish Energy Agency said it will host a market dialogue on the need for deeper geotechnical data for the planned energy island in the North Sea. It will be accepting written comments from potential bidders and relevant businesses by April 29, 2022.

Choose your newsletter by Renewables Now. Join for free!