North Sea Energy Hub (Photo by EUDP)

Energy Islands - a Mars Mission for the Energy System

Tuesday 14 Sep 21
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Contact

Jacob Østergaard
Professor, Head of Division
DTU Wind
+45 45 25 35 01

Contact

Nicolaos A. Cutululis
Professor
DTU Wind
+45 21 32 49 65

Full list: White paper authors

Nicolaos A. Cutululis (DTU)
Frede Blaabjerg (AAU)
Jacob Østergaard (DTU)
Claus Leth Bak (AAU)
Mattias Anderson (DTU)
Filipe Miguel Faria da Silva (AAU)
Hjörtur Jóhansson (DTU)
Xiongfei Wang (AAU)
Birte Holst Jørgensen (DTU)

Download the white paper in English here

Download the white paper in Danish here 

Webinars

#1 webinar: Energy Islands - A Mars mission for the Danish energy system
27. September 2021, 13:00-14:30, register here.

#2 webinar: Energy islands as test infrastructure for tomorrows’ energy system
27. October 2021, 14:30-16:00, register here.

#3 webinar: Global cooperation and potential for green growth
30. November, 13:00-14:30, register here.

Press the links above to read more and sign up - or go to the bottom of this page.

Energy islands. Are they our big bright shining hope for a green future? One thing is for sure: It is a Mars Mission transforming the energy system as we know it, researchers from two universities agree.

Energy Professors and researchers from Technical University of Denmark and Aalborg University, have joined forces to discover and inform in regards to the research needed to build the world's first energy islands in the Baltic Sea and the North Sea. The outcome is a white paper followed by three webinars where scientists, industry and the authorities come together and discuss possibilities and barriers for the energy islands.

Three challenges to address
The energy islands will be the first of their kind in the world, and constitute the next major paradigm shift for the energy system in general and for the leading Danish wind power industry. According to the authors of the white paper the construction of two energy islands by 2033 is the equivalent of a Mars Mission for the Danish energy system. 

"Firstly, because of the gap between the solutions we need and the solutions we have are still significant. Secondly, because it will require the combined innovation power of the public and private sector to design, plan, build and operate the islands in a cost efficient and reliable way. And thirdly, because the islands will be live test laboratories for the change that will shift the entire energy system in Denmark (and globally) in the coming decades as we head towards 100% independence from fossil fuels in 2050," writes the authors in the white paper.

Innovative solutions can save billions of DKK
Embarking on this "Mars mission" is challenging, but also rewarding, according to the authors. As it offers a unique opportunity to accelerate the development of clean power systems and provides us with a better understanding of how a decarbonized power system could look like in the future.

"The islands thus become a unique platform for innovation of new technical solutions, for example for how to optimally integrate Power-to-X with wind power, or how to integrate the wind turbines and the technical systems on the islands in completely new efficient ways. Our research shows that implementing smart solutions can save billions of kroner for the establishment of the islands," says Jacob Østergaard, Professor and Head of Center for Electric Power and Energy, DTU Elektro - and one of the authors.

"There is a need for new research that can develop these smart solutions securing that the islands will be build so the energy system is efficient, robust and secure, and so a fault in the electrical systems does not lead to a collapse of the overall energy system on land," says Jacob Østergaard and continues:

"Finally, it is important that we via research develop concepts for a future-proof establishment of the energy islands, so that we can expand the capacity by building on the first energy islands and ensure a future efficient utilization of offshore wind power potential in the North Sea of enormous 180 GW."

Read all the recommendations from a research perspective in the white paper:

Download the white paper in English (published 15.September 2021)

Download the white paper in Danish (published 15.September 2021)

Webinars

#1 webinar: Energy Islands - A Mars mission for the Danish energy system
27. September 2021, 13:00-14:30

Keynote speakers:

  • Mads Krogh, Head of Division, (VE, Energy islands) Danish Energy Agency - The energy islands, the mission and its challenges
  • Nicolaos A. Cutululis, Professor, DTU Wind Energy - Key messages of the White Paper

Discussion:
Moderator: Glenda Napier, CEO, Energy Cluster Denmark. In the panel: Poul-Jacob Vilhelmsen, Chief Project Manager, Energinet, Mads Krogh, Head of Division, Danish Energy Agency, Jacob Østergaard, Professor, DTU Electrical Engineering.

Register here

 

 

#2 webinar: Energy islands as test infrastructure for tomorrows’ energy system

27. October 2021, 14:30-16:00


Keynote speakers:

  • Christian Frank Flytkjær, Senior Manager, Grid Analysis, Energinet - Energy islands, the mission and its technical challenges
  • Jacob Østergaard, Professor, Head of Center for Electric Power and Energy, DTU Electrical Engineering Energy -  Islands as production and test facility

Discussion:
Moderator: Kristine van het Erve Grunnet, Managing Director Renewables, Danish Energy. In the panel: Troels Stybe Sørensen, Senior Director, Ørsted, Adrian Timbus, Head of Portfolio, Hitachi ABB Power Grids, Christian Frank Flytkjær, Senior Manager, Energinet, Nicolaos A. Cutululis, Professor, DTU Wind Energy

Register here

 

#3 webinar: Global cooperation and potential for green growth

30. November, 13:00-14:30 

Keynote speakers:

  • Frede Blaabjerg, Professor AUU Energy  - International cooperation on transforming the power system
  • Barbara O'Neill, Researcher, National Renewable energy Laboratory (NREL) - Global cooperation and G-PST

Discussion:
Moderator: Birte Holst Jørgensen, DTU Wind Energy. In the panel: Peter Marcussen, Director, Energinet, Anton Beck, Director Global Cooperation, Danish Energy Agency, Susanne Pedersen, Director, UNEP DTU Partnership, Barbara O'Neill, Researcher, NREL, Frede Blaabjerg, Professor, AAU

Register here

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