Denmark has a practical idea for clean energy. It will build an artificial island 80km off its western coast in the North Sea. This is expected to be in operation by 2033. This ambitious project should end Denmark's reliance on fossil fuels within three decades. Denmark is Europe's largest oil-producing country. The end of oil production will provide a huge boost for Denmark's green credentials. A professor of electric power and energy described the project as, "a cornerstone in the green transition which will help facilitate the reduction of Danish CO2 emissions".
The island will be the size of 18 football fields. It will cost around $34 billion to build. Much of the energy will come from wind farms. These will produce enough electricity to power three million homes and help make Denmark carbon neutral. The island has great potential to create a greener Europe. The professor said: "In the North Sea, we have tremendous potential for offshore wind....That means we can actually shut down all European coal-fired power plants." He added: "It's a Danish initiative, but this, at least with time, is going to be an international effort."