Energy company Ørsted and investment company Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners have signed an agreement to develop a number of offshore wind projects totalling 5.2GW. The investment came entirely from the private sector and will double Denmark’s 2022 offshore wind capacity.

The projects are ‘Vikinge Banke’ (1.1 GW) and ‘Jyske Banke Nord’ (1.1 GW) in the North Sea, and ‘Bornholm Bassin Syd’ (1.5 GW) and ‘Bornholm Basin Øst’ (1.5 GW) in the Baltic Sea. A spokesperson for the company said the partnership encompasses the development, construction, and operation of the offshore wind farms as well as the related transmission assets. Electricity could be delivered as early as 2027.

Denmark’s grid is highly interconnected with the rest of Europe, which has allowed it to achieve a high penetration of renewables. Its peak demand load is around the 6.5GW mark, and with projects such as these, it will become a major green exporter.

Rasmus Errboe, head of region – continental Europe at Ørsted said, “Denmark has been a pioneer in offshore wind and is a front-runner in the green transformation. The four major open-door projects can help consolidate Denmark’s continued leadership position and create the foundation to kick-start the next phase of a Danish business adventure around the production of renewable hydrogen and green fuels.”

The partnership will be subject to merger clearance, expected before the end of 2022.