Denmark & Germany Share Offshore Wind Power

An offshore wind farm near the island of Bornholm, Denmark shows
how international energy sharing creates global energy progress.
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show? Email us! There's a little Danish island in the Baltic
Sea that's about to make history. And it all started with a
handshake worth seven billion euros. Bornholm. Population: forty
thousand souls. About the size of Tulsa, Oklahoma. For eight
hundred years, this island has watched the tides of war and peace
wash over Northern Europe. But last week, Bornholm became the
center of the most ambitious energy project in human history.
Here's what just happened. The European Commission signed the
largest energy grant in EU history. Six hundred forty five million
euros. Seven hundred fifty six million dollars. All for one little
island. But that's just the beginning. Siemens Energy just won the
contract to build four massive converter stations. Two on Bornholm.
One on Zealand. One in Germany. The job? Converting three gigawatts
of offshore wind power into electricity that can flow between
countries. Think about that. Three gigawatts. That's enough power
for four and a half million homes. And the cables to carry all that
electricity? NKT, a Danish company, just signed a six hundred fifty
million euro contract. They'll lay two hundred kilometers of
underwater cable. That's one hundred twenty four miles of
electrical cord running beneath the Baltic Sea. But here's where
this story gets remarkable. The cable won't be laid by just any
ship. It'll be installed by the NKT Eleonora. A cable laying vessel
currently under construction. When it launches in twenty twenty
seven, it'll be one of the most advanced ships in the world.
Powered by renewable energy. Built specifically for this project.
They're not just connecting countries. They're connecting the
future. Thomas Egebo, the Danish project leader, says this is about
more than electricity. Quote: We are taking a big step towards a
future where offshore wind from the Baltic Sea will supply
electricity to millions of consumers. End quote. But let me tell
you what makes this story truly extraordinary. This isn't about one
country getting richer. This is about sharing power. Literally.
When Denmark has too much wind, Germany gets the surplus. When
Germany needs more electricity, Denmark shares theirs. Two
gigawatts flow to Germany. One point two gigawatts stay in Denmark.
It's like having the perfect neighbor. The kind who loans you sugar
when you're out, except the sugar is enough electricity to power
Berlin. The construction timeline reads like something from science
fiction. Construction begins in twenty twenty eight. The island
goes operational in twenty thirty. By then, Bornholm will be the
electrical heart of Northern Europe. But here's the part that will
give you goosebumps. This project started during the pandemic. June
twenty twenty. When the world was falling apart, when nations were
closing borders, one hundred seventy one out of one hundred seventy
nine Danish parliamentarians voted yes. Democrats and
conservatives. Liberals and traditionalists. They all agreed on one
thing: the future belongs to cooperation. Stefan Kapferer, the
German project leader, calls this efficient offshore cross linking
between all countries bordering the North and Baltic Seas.
Translation: It's the birth of a European electrical network. One
that shares power, shares security, and shares prosperity. The wind
turbines will be built fifteen kilometers offshore. That's about
nine miles from Bornholm's coast. Far enough to preserve the
island's beauty. Close enough to change everything. And when it's
all finished, when the last cable is laid and the final turbine
spins, Bornholm will have accomplished something that seemed
impossible just five years ago. They'll have turned wind into
bridges. They'll have transformed former battlefields into power
grids. They'll have proven that cooperation isn't just possible,
it's profitable. The total investment? Seven billion euros. Nine
billion dollars. The largest construction project in Danish
history. But the real investment isn't money. It's trust. It's the
belief that former enemies can become partners. That small islands
can have big dreams. That sharing power creates more power for
everyone. So there you have it. A little island called Bornholm.
Population forty thousand. About to become the electrical heartbeat
of Northern Europe. Because sometimes, the smallest places teach
the biggest lessons about what's possible when neighbors help
neighbors.