Not a lot of people know the tiny island of Bornholm, Denmark. But it may be the greenest island in the world. It has turned its economy around by investing in sustainable business and is set to become one of the first carbon neutral islands in the world.

Energy Island

Denmark is planning to build a series of artificial islands in the North Sea that will generate clean energy from offshore wind turbines. The project, known as the Energy Island, will consist of one or more islands surrounded by offshore wind turbines and connected to neighboring countries via undersea cables. The Energy Island is expected to generate enough electricity to meet the needs of 10 million households and will also provide a hub for renewable energy research and development. The project is part of Denmark's ambitious goal to be carbon neutral by 2050 and a leading exporter of clean energy technologies. The Energy Island is set to be completed in 2030 and is expected to create thousands of jobs in the renewable energy sector.

Molten Salt

One of the main concerns of wind and solar energy is what to do when the wind stops blowing and the sun stops shining. This is where large scale energy storage comes in. One innovative way to do store energy that's being piloted at scale in Bornholm, is molten salt or sand.

Molten salt is a type of thermal energy storage technology that has the potential to revolutionize renewable energy systems. The concept is simple: electricity generated by renewable sources, such as solar or wind power, is used to heat a mixture of salts to high temperatures. The hot salt mixture is then stored in insulated tanks, where it retains its thermal energy until it is needed. When energy demand increases, the hot salt is pumped through a heat exchanger, which transfers the heat to a working fluid. The working fluid then drives a turbine to generate electricity. Molten salt energy storage systems have several advantages over traditional battery storage, including higher energy density, longer lifespan, and lower costs. Molten salt storage can also provide energy on demand, making it a promising technology for the integration of intermittent renewable energy sources into the grid.

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