Offshore Powerhouses Tapped for VindØ Energy Island

Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) has signed a partnership agreement with four companies within marine and offshore construction services, Boskalis, DEME, ACCIONA, and MT Højgaard International, to develop the VindØ energy island in the Danish North Sea.

CIP acts as the project developer on behalf of an investor consortium composed of PensionDanmark and PFA, two of Denmark’s largest pension funds, and Denmark’s largest utility company, Andel, collectively known as the VindØ consortium.

These contractors, together called the NJORD Group, display an impressive track record, as well as an extensive pool of best-in-class equipment and skilled staff needed to ensure reliable and timely project development and execution, CIP said. The NJORD Group will be advised by engineering consultancy NIRAS.

”Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners has thoroughly screened the most experienced experts and the world’s best-suited contract partners for the Energy Island project. We are confident that the NJORD Group offers the experience and capabilities needed for a successful project execution in a safe and reliable manner, even in a harsh marine environment far offshore in the Danish North Sea,” said Thomas Dalsgaard, Partner in CIP.

”ACCIONA, Boskalis, DEME and MT Højgaard International display, individually and as a group, extensive and complementary experience and equipment, and have successfully developed and constructed many similar projects around the world. We are very pleased to enter into this partnership with such a strong set of partners.”

The energy island in the North Sea will be located approximately 80-100 kilometres off the Danish west coast, where conditions for green energy production based on offshore wind are optimal.

The island will be able to connect 10 GW of offshore wind to Denmark and other neighbouring markets, host an innovation zone with potential for large-scale energy storage and Power-to-X technologies, and provide accommodation and operation and maintenance services from onsite harbour facilities.

”We are proud to join CIP and the VindØ consortium, which gathers a core group of global leaders in maritime engineering solutions for offshore renewable energy production, storage and transmission,” said Luc Vandenbulcke, CEO of DEME Group.

”DEME Group has been pioneering the concept of energy islands off the coast, and is currently involved in designing, planning and executing similar projects in different parts of the world. We understand the complexity of renewable energy generation and storage on an artificial, multifunctional island at sea, and can rely on a track record of on-time delivery in the harshest marine weather conditions. We are looking forward to making a significant contribution to help advance solving Denmark’s energy transition challenge.”

The Danish Energy Agency is currently in dialogue with potential bidders for the energy island tender, which is expected to be launched by the third quarter of 2022. CIP intends to bid in the upcoming tender.

”With our unique track record of creating new and climate resilient land development projects, together with our broad range of capabilities in the area of renewables, Boskalis is a logical contractor for the development of this innovative energy island in the Danish section of the North Sea. We look forward to taking the development of renewables further offshore to create a sustainable new horizon for millions of European households,” Peter Berdowski, CEO Royal Boskalis Westminster, said.