The closing symposium for the World Energy Cities Partnership offered more information about the upcoming energy island. The deputy director of the energy islands, Hanne Storm Edlefsen, was able to tell the mayors and officials from the ten partner cities and nine different countries what studies are currently being conducted on the seabed in the selected area of the North Sea.
It is a study that must be completed before winter sets in. In fact, the work of studying the seabed is such a big task that several otherwise competing companies have joined forces on the task.
This is far from the only big task in connection with the artificial island. First, three GW will be led through the island and later as much as ten GW. Therefore, there will be hydrogen production on the island, so some of the electricity may be converted directly in the wind turbines and in a PtX plant on the energy island.
However, one of the local attendees questions the entire energy island enterprise. The rescue and transport company Esvagt's CEO Peter Lytzen, who comes with 30 years of experience from the oil and gas industry.
- We already learned with oil and gas that you have to do as much as possible on land, because it is much more expensive offshore. You are making the same mistake that we did in the 70s. It is becoming more and more difficult to get people who want to work offshore and be away from their families. And it will be even more difficult in the future. I can say that we have a hard enough time getting seafarers for our ships, says Peter Lytzen to Hanne Storm Edlefsen.
- It is not possible to move things on land, because there will be so much energy that a hydrogen pipeline will be needed. It is also cheaper than the submarine cable. At the same time, the energy island must be located so far out that there is enough wind. So it is also a question of price, says Hanne Storm Edlefsen.
However, she also says that most people will have to be used in the construction phase. After that, there will be less staffing on the energy island.
A little later, energy professor Mads Pagh Nielsen from AAU can talk about his view on the energy island. He is also involved with the island as a researcher, and his point of view is also that there should be hydrogen production directly in the wind turbines and through an electrolysis plant. That simply makes the most sense.
Again, this triggers a warning from the shipping company manager.
- I have to get back to the energy island, says Peter Lytzen, who repeats his concerns about the upcoming energy island.
However, the professor also has an explanation ready.
- It is about ten percent. savings on the wind turbine itself when hydrogen is produced directly in the wind turbine. And there will be such large amounts of energy that there will be a need for a hydrogen pipeline as well, says Mads Pagh Nielsen.
Out of the box, it is already being reported in circles dealing with the upcoming energy island that offshore hydrogen production is one of the options for speeding up the speed so that the energy island can be completed more quickly.
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