Germans have a knack for words, and when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing, the phenomenon south of the border is called dunkelflaute. The weather pattern typically hits Denmark between November and January, meaning solar panels and wind turbines grind to a halt. In those periods, the Danish power grid is particularly vulnerable to accidents and sabotage — a fact that worries Energinet, the Danish Security and Intelligence Service (PET) and experts alike.

During a dunkelflaute, Denmark today depends on being able to import large amounts of electricity from our neighboring countries through subsea cables. That need for imports is set to grow toward 2035, when Denmark is expected to have the lowest degree of self-sufficiency in Northern Europe during the most extreme hours.