Denmark Is Building Artificial Islands to Power the Entire Country With Wind Energy
Published · Updated · 3 min read
COPENHAGEN — Denmark is constructing artificial islands in the North Sea and Baltic Sea to serve as massive hubs for offshore wind power. The project is designed to generate enough clean electricity to power millions of homes across Denmark and neighboring European countries.
The initiative marks one of the most ambitious renewable energy efforts in the world and signals a major step in Europe’s shift away from fossil fuels.
A Country Already Leading on Wind
Denmark has already transformed its energy system. In 2024, wind power made up 59.3 percent of the country’s total electricity generation. That figure stood at just 11 percent in 2000.
On February 23, 2026, Denmark produced enough wind energy to supply its entire national electricity demand for a full day, generating 97 gigawatt-hours (GWh) from wind turbines alone. That output was enough to power approximately 10 million European households.
The country now produces nearly twice as much wind energy per capita as any other member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Two Islands, Two Seas
The larger of the two projects is called VindØ, meaning “Wind Island” in Danish. It will be built roughly 100 kilometers off Denmark’s coast in the North Sea.
In its first phase, VindØ will connect 3 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind capacity by 2030. The island can eventually expand to 10 GW, equivalent to about 25 traditional offshore wind farms and enough to power approximately 10 million households.
The estimated cost of the initial phase is approximately €7.93 billion. Full expansion could reach nearly €29.57 billion, depending on construction method.
The consortium behind VindØ includes two of Denmark’s largest pension funds, PensionDanmark and PFA, the utility company Andel, and green infrastructure investor Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners.
The second project uses the existing Danish island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea as a power hub. In January 2026, Denmark and Germany reached a formal agreement on the Bornholm Energy Island, which will connect 3 GW of offshore wind to both national grids through submarine cable systems.
The Bornholm project has been described by officials as a first-of-its-kind multi-terminal hybrid interconnector, transforming offshore wind energy “from a national resource into a shared European resource for electrification.”
The European Union has backed the project with a €645 million grant from its Connecting Europe Facility. It is one of eight priority Energy Highways identified by the European Commission under the European Grids Package announced in December 2025.
Germany and Denmark have agreed to share the costs of the offshore wind infrastructure connected to Bornholm.
Beyond Electricity
The islands are designed to do more than transmit power. Both projects include plans for Power-to-X technology, which converts renewable electricity into green hydrogen and synthetic fuels for aviation and shipping.
According to analysis by the Danish Ministry, a 10 GW energy island would produce enough renewable fuel to supply all ships and aircraft that refuel in Denmark.
Denmark has already announced more than a dozen Power-to-X projects exceeding 10 megawatts in capacity, including facilities for green hydrogen, e-methanol, and ammonia production.
National Targets Driving the Build
Denmark’s Climate Act sets legally binding targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 70 percent by 2030 compared to 1990 levels, with full climate neutrality targeted by 2050.
Renewable electricity is projected to cover 100 percent of Denmark’s national electricity consumption by 2028.
A broad majority of the Danish Parliament, 171 out of 179 members, agreed in June 2020 to initiate construction of both energy island hubs, with a combined capacity of 5 GW targeted for completion by 2030.
Torben Möger Pedersen, CEO of PensionDanmark, said the timeline could move faster than planned. “If we have a reasonably ambitious timetable, we would be able to have an island ready to transmit power into a country’s grid by 2027–28,” he said.
References
- Denmark’s Energy Island Projects — VindØ and Bornholm Overview
- EU Connecting Europe Facility and Bornholm Energy Island Agreement
- Danish Climate Act and Renewable Energy Targets — Danish Energy Agency
