A group of European firms are planning to build an artificial island that could provide power for tens of millions of homes.

The 2.5 square mile island will have a harbour, runway and homes and will be built at Dogger Bank, a large sandbank in a shallow part of the North Sea, about 62 miles from England's east coast.

The island will serve as a hub for thousands of wind turbines and solar panels and, with the island being in a relatively shallow part of the North Sea, building wind turbines will be easier.

Electricity from the island hub will be sent via sea cables to several nearby countries, including Britain.

Also set to benefit are the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Norway and Belgium.


Image: The island will have a harbour, runway and homes. Pic: TenneT (Dutch TSO)

Wind turbine parks from several nations could be linked to the island, turning offshore parks into "coastal parks".

That will mean long cables won't be needed and moving the energy will be cheaper.

Staff, equipment and assembly workshops would be stored on the island, also keeping costs down.

Danish firm Energinet.dk will work with the German and Dutch branches of TenneT to build the island and the three will sign a deal at the North Seas Energy Forum in Brussels on 23 March.

The next step is a feasibility study.

Image: The island could provide power for millions of homes. Pic: TenneT (Dutch TSO)

Torben Glar Nielsen, Energinet.dk's technical director, said in a statement that the island "could make the wind power of the future a lot cheaper and more effective".

To the Copenhagen Post, he added: "We haven't let our fantasy gain the upper hand, although it may sound a little crazy and like something out of science fiction.

"We who have the responsibility of transporting the electricity generated by offshore wind turbines back to land and the consumers must constantly push and make sure that the price continues to fall.

"That requires innovative big-scale solutions, and an energy hub in the North Sea is worth thoroughly looking into."

Image: Britain is among the countries that could benefit. Pic: TenneT (Dutch TSO)

The company's chief executive Peder Ostermark Andreasen said: "Offshore wind has in recent years proved to be

increasingly competitive and it is important to us to constantly focus on further reduction in prices of grid connections and interconnections.

"We need innovative and large-scale projects so that offshore wind can play an even bigger part in our future energy supply."