Samsø - Energy Island

Samsø also written Samsoe, is a Danish island in the Kattegat 15 kilometers of the Jylland Peninsula. The community has 4,300 inhabitants, most of them retired people, called Samsingers and it covers an are of 114 km². Due to its central location, the island was used during the Viking Age as a meeting place. People in Samsø like to say that Samsø is center of Denmark, and center of Europe also.

In 1997, Samsø won a government competition to become a model renewable energy community. Now this island is 100% energeticaly independent. An offshore wind farm comprising 10 turbines (making a total of 21 altogether including land-based windmills), was completed, funded by the islanders. The people of Samsø heat their homes with straw burned in a central heating system and they power some vehicles on biofuel which they also grow. Now 100% of its electricity comes from wind power and 75% of its heat comes from solar power and biomass energy.

An Energy Academy has opened in Ballen, with a visitor education center. You can find its website here.

The island is very popular for strawberry picking during the months of June and July every year. In Denmark, the island is well-known for its early potatoes. The first few pounds of potatoes usually fetch prices around £100, and are considered a great delicacy. Ballen's beach and village are popular with visitors; it is served by the bus which runs around the island, including the ferry terminals. In clear weather, you can see the peninsula of Helgenæs to the north.

For a community of more than 4300 people there is only one policeman on this island. That is because there is zero criminality on Samsø.