
A huge artificial island with its own airstrip and harbour could be built in the North Sea to power Europe by 2050, if plans are approved later this month.

The 2.5 square mile (6.5 square km) island could serve as a 'crazy and science fiction-like' energy plant that would be surrounded by fields of offshore wind turbines.

The 'North Sea Wind Power Hub' would house a small team of permanent staff and generate power for more than 80 million people across Europe.

An artificial island (artist's impression pictured) with an airstrip and harbour could be built in the North Sea to help power Europe by 2050. Energinet, the Danish state-owned energy operator, said it hoped that the offshore power plant would be completed by 2050

THE NORTH SEA WIND POWER HUB ISLAND - Could be built by 2050 - Cover an area of 2.5 square miles (6.5 square km) - Provide power to 80 million people - Cost over £1.1 billion ($1.3 billion) - The plans have been drawn by a series of energy companies from Denmark, the Netherlands and Germany, including Energinet - Discussions with other energy companies and industrial partners, who together will pay for the project, are ongoing - Power homes in Britain, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Norway and Belgium - Comes with an airstrip, harbour, buildings for housing and workshops, an artificial lake and even a park Advertisement

The island would serve a vast network of solar panels and wind turbines spanning across Dogger Bank, a large sandbank 62 miles (100km) off the east coast of England.

It would supply energy to six European countries through underwater cables – Britain, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Norway and Belgium.

Dogger Bank is relatively shallow with depths of between 15 and 36 metres, which is expected to reduce the cost of the project.

The Copenhagen Post reported that the island, if approved, would cost just over £1.1 billion ($1.3 billion).

Energinet, the Danish state-owned energy operator, said it hoped that the offshore power plant would be completed by 2050.

The plans have been drawn by a series of energy companies from Denmark, the Netherlands and Germany, including Energinet.

Discussions with other energy companies and industrial partners, who together will pay for the project, are ongoing.

They are expected to be agreed in Brussels on March 23.

Torben Glar Nielsen, Energinet's technical director, told the Independent: 'Maybe it sounds a bit crazy and science fiction-like but an island on Dogger Bank could make the wind power of the future a lot cheaper and more effective.'

Dutch power grid operator TenneT announced on Wednesday that Energinet was the first partner for its plan to create the offshore energy hub.

The Copenhagen Post reported that the island would cost just over £1.1 billion ($1.3 billion), if the green light is given to the project. It would include a harbour (artist's impression pictured) for the delivery of supplies to the small workforce stationed on the island

The plans have been drawn by a series of energy companies from Denmark, the Netherlands and Germany and are expected to be agreed in Brussels on March 23. This artist's impression shows a section of the island's airstrip, which would allow small passenger aircraft to take staff to and from the island

The 2.5 square mile (6.5 square km) island is part of ambitious plans for a huge new offshore energy project that could supply power to Britain, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Norway and Belgium. This artist's impression shows the route that the plant's undersea electric cabling would make back to each country

ORIGINS OF THE IDEA The company says that the idea for the island came in response to the European Union's need to meet CO2 emission targets in the wake of rising international pressure to combat climate change. They say that renewable energy will be key to achieving these targets, and that both sun and wind will be needed to provide consistent levels of energy through every season. The summer months will bring more sun, while the colder months will bring more wind, meaning that the plant will have both solar panels and wind turbines. TenneT claim that the levels of renewable energy production needed by the EU is too much for individual Member States to cope with, and so say that a cooperative system is needed between several countries. The North Sea boasts a higher and more stable wind speed than wind farms experience on land, and the farms will provide energy without taking up any land space that could be used for housing or farming. TenneT plans to creates a basis, or point of departure, for a joint European approach up to 2050 and focus on developing the North Sea as a source and distribution hub for Europe’s energy transition. Advertisement

TenneT says that the large European electricity network is based on a 'hub and spoke' principle, and was designed to help the European Union to meet targets for cuts in its carbon dioxide emissions.

TenneT will formally sign a deal with Energinet on March 23.

'Discussions with other potential partners are ongoing, which not only include other North Sea transmission system operators, but also other infrastructure companies,' TenneT said in a statement.

Energinet.dk CEO Peder Østermark Andreasen said the project has the potential to lead to a 'further reduction in prices of grid connections and interconnections.'

Dutch power grid operator TenneT announced on Wednesday that Energinet was the first partner for its plan to create an offshore energy hub in the North Sea. The island could include green spaces and parks for the staff, as shown in this artist's impression

Torben Glar Nielsen, Energinet's technical director, told the Independent: 'Maybe it sounds a bit crazy and science fiction-like but an island on Dogger Bank could make the wind power of the future a lot cheaper and more effective'. Pictured is an artist's impression of the island with its large bank of offshore wind turbines stationed behind it

This artist's impression shows a bird's eye view of the island, which would provide power to more than 80 million people. the airstrip and artificial lake can be seen on the lower half of the island, while the harbour and park are in the upper half

Separately on Wednesday, TenneT said it would invest £21 billion ($26 billion) in new transmission capacity over the coming decade to support a number of offshore wind and onshore renewable projects currently in the pipeline.

The company also wishes to improve interconnections between the Netherlands and Germany.

The amount is an increase from the £19 billion ($23 billion) in a March 2016 forecast, after the Dutch government announced plans last autumn for a major acceleration in funding for renewable energy projects.

The 'North Sea Wind Power Hub' would serve a vast network of solar panels and wind turbines spanning across Dogger Bank, a large sandbank 62 miles (100km) off the east coast of England

The plans included permitting 5 gigawatts of new offshore turbine farms.

TenneT will provide infrastructure for the new farms.

'If we want to exploit all this green electricity in our Northwest European region to the full, we cannot do so without new power transmission links, both onshore and offshore,' CEO Mel Kroon said in a statement.

'The ongoing coupling of the European energy markets will lead to more convergence of electricity prices in the various European countries, and will make electricity more affordable for end users,' he said.

TenneT reported 2016 underlying operating profit of 701 million euros on revenue of 3.23 billion euros ($3.41 billion), both down slightly from 2015, due to lower reimbursements for its services.