Less than a month after installation of turbines began at Anholt offshore wind farm, the project has begun generating electricity. Announcing what is known as 'first power', the three companies developing Anholt emphasised the number of jobs that the 400MW project has created in Denmark and the fact that approximately 840,000 Danish citizens indirectly hold a stake in the wind farm.
Due to be completed next year, Anholt is Denmark's largest offshore wind farm to date. It is 50% owned by Danish energy company, Dong. The remaining 50% share is held by Pension Danmark (30%), which manages the pensions of about 600,000 Danes, and Pensionskassernes Administration (PKA) (20%), which represents the pension investments of 250,000 people.
Commenting on news that Anholt has begun supplying electricity to the grid, PKA's chief investment officer, Micahel Nellemann Pedersen, said: "We invested in the offshore wind farm to earn money for our members’ pensions, but we also want to contribute to the drive towards a better global environment and assume social responsibility, and we are therefore particularly pleased that this project will create approximately 8,000 jobs".
Pension Danmark has invested in other offshore wind developments, including the Belgian Northwind project.
Last month, Dong reported a significant increase in wind energy-related first-half (H1) profit and signalled that it expects this to rise further thanks in part to Anholt.
Denmark plans to develop another two large offshore wind farms and a number of small, near-shore projects.
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