The Legal Framework for Artificial Energy Islands in the Northern Seas

Abstract Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands have announced their interest in constructing artificial ‘energy islands’ to enable the integration of large-scale offshore wind energy into the energy system. This raises several legal questions, such as how do these developments fit in the balance of interests required by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, what European Union law is applicable to artificial islands and how Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands approach the construction of artificial islands. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the applicable legal framework and shows the variety of approaches and strategic choices States may have when developing energy islands.