Energy and Environmental Impacts of Denmark's Largest Offshore Tender

As of 2022, wind energy generated 55.03% of Denmark’s electricity, marking the highest share in the world. Policy plans for decentralized energy sources and the country’s two-way grid system have made the country's wind energy development a resounding success. In April 2024, the Danish Energy Agency announced the country’s biggest offshore tender. These six offshore wind farms will deliver six to ten GW which will make it possible to cover all of Denmark’s power consumption when fully operating. Additionally, the power will also be sufficient to export to neighboring countries and be utilized for green hydrogen production. 

Photo credit: Mark König, Unsplash

As a secondary energy source, hydrogen can be produced by passing electricity through water to break it into hydrogen and oxygen. Transforming electricity into hydrogen provides a transportable form of energy. Depending on the electricity used, there are two main types of such fuel- blue hydrogen and green hydrogen. Blue hydrogen is produced using electricity generated from fossil fuels while green hydrogen is produced using clean energy. 

Species exhibit varying responses to offshore wind turbines; species such as sand eels were not found to be affected, in the case of Danish wind farm Horns Rev 1, which is one of the world’s biggest offshore wind farms. However, negative impacts on birds and marine mammals were reported more frequently. Since marine mammals use sound for foraging, orientation, and communication, they are likely to be disrupted by the construction and operation noise of offshore wind turbines. Loons are one of the most sensitive species when it comes to avoiding the strong attraction to offshore wind turbines; these birds’ abundances declined strongly within a 10 km radius of the turbines. Careful planning and continued research are essential to minimize the negative impact on these species.