Alternative climate-neutral power systems for Denmark in 2050

In 2025, the Danish Government announced it would revisit its 1985 exclusion of nuclear power from energy planning. This study argues the question is broader than nuclear alone: climate neutrality does not prescribe one technology mix, so Quantified Carbon modelled several structurally different Danish power systems for 2050, centred on offshore wind, nuclear and a balanced mix, and tested them across 33 historical weather years and an extreme cold, low-wind event. All scenarios cut emissions by 82% and remain heavily wind-dominated, and their costs are close and uncertain. The real difference is where the risk sits: offshore wind carries revenue risk, while nuclear carries capital-cost and delivery risk. A balanced mix spreads both. Because Denmark is so closely interconnected with Europe, the level of self-sufficiency it wants is a policy choice, not an output of cost optimisation. The study does not name a single best system, but aims to move the debate from a binary technology choice to what each system requires and how its risks are shared.