Home / Environment / Denmark & Germany Unite for 3GW Baltic Wind Power
Denmark & Germany Unite for 3GW Baltic Wind Power
11 Sep
Summary
- Bornholm island central to 3GW offshore wind hub.
- Project enables cross-border renewable energy sharing.
- EU grants €645 million for this pioneering interconnector.
Denmark and Germany are collaborating on the Bornholm Energy Island, a pioneering offshore wind hub situated in the Baltic Sea. This ambitious project centers on the Danish island of Bornholm, which will serve as a critical nexus for collecting 3GW of electricity generated by offshore wind farms. The generated power will then be transmitted via subsea and terrestrial cables to the national grids of both Denmark and Germany.
The agreement, reached on January 26, 2026, signifies a major advancement in shared renewable energy infrastructure across Europe. The European Commission has designated the project as a Project of Common Interest and awarded a €645 million grant through the Connecting Europe Facility to support its development. This initiative is envisioned as a blueprint for future offshore energy projects within the European Union.
The wind turbines will be positioned approximately 15 kilometers off Bornholm's coast. Electricity collected on the island will be prepared for long-distance transmission to Zealand in Denmark and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in Germany. The 3GW capacity is estimated to meet the energy needs of up to 4.5 million households in both nations, effectively doubling Denmark's current offshore wind capacity.
Energinet and 50Hertz are jointly overseeing the project's development, with Energinet managing the Danish infrastructure and 50Hertz the German connection. The project's interconnector is described as the world's first hybrid direct-current interconnector of its kind. Archaeological investigations near Aakirkeby have uncovered significant historical remains, spanning from the Stone Age to the Viking Age, making the planned excavation one of the largest on Bornholm.
