DTU to Christina Egelund: AI can help drive the green transition. But it will also have a negative impact on the climate

Opinion piece by Anders Bjarklev, president of DTU, and Christine Nellemann, provost of DTU. This is the first in a series of opinion pieces addressed to selected ministers in the new government, in which DTU focuses on current technological dilemmas, future research potential and possible solutions. It was published in the daily newspaper Information on July 9, 2026.

43 times. That’s how often the terms ‘artificial intelligence’ and ‘AI’ appear in the new government programme.

43 times, where the opportunities and risks associated with the technology are explored in depth, and strategic initiatives are presented.

43 times that set the stage for an important part of the job for Christina Egelund, who is pleased to continue as Minister for Science, Higher Education and now also Digital Affairs.

In other words: AI is everywhere—because that’s what’s needed. Groundbreaking years are ahead of us, in which AI solutions will transform everything from the healthcare sector to the Danish education system.

And another major political topic is the potential for increased productivity enabled by artificial intelligence. The government’s programme estimates that the technology could generate productivity growth of 0.1–0.2 per cent per year, which over a 10-year period could potentially “increase prosperity by DKK 30–60 billion.”

We are thus looking toward a future in which technology creates opportunities for growth, productivity, and prosperity. All in all, that’s good—from a socioeconomic perspective.

But we are also looking toward a future in which technology’s consumption of resources risks putting an unprecedented strain on the climate, which raises two key questions: What will the implementation of this resource-intensive technology actually mean for the government’s green ambitions? And how can we—as a society—use AI wisely so we benefit the climate rather than harm it?

Technology's green dilemma

These questions highlight a dilemma that research on the green transition must constantly address: On the one hand, artificial intelligence can be used to make Denmark greener, wealthier, and more resilient, but it can also strain our electricity and water resources and exacerbate the climate problem we are working to solve.

In December 2025, Microsoft announced that it will be building three new data centres in West Jutland, while three other centres are already under construction on Zealand.

This is necessary if we are to promote the use of artificial intelligence, but it is also extremely resource-intensive. According to the report “Denmark’s Climate Status and Outlook 2025” from the Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Utilities, annual electricity consumption by Danish data centres will rise from the current 2 terawatt-hours (TWh) per year to as much as 26 TWh per year by 2050. That amounts to one-third of Denmark’s total electricity consumption—and calls for new knowledge and solutions that will enable us to act wisely.

That is why researchers at DTU are investigating how to reduce the power consumption of our information technologies and large data centres in order to conserve resources.

At the same time, efforts are underway to use AI to accelerate the green transition. For example, researchers at DTU have successfully used drones and AI to identify the solar panels in a solar farm that are producing low levels of electricity—so the problem can be fixed straight away.

AI is also used to make CO2 capture more efficient, to optimize biotechnology production and reduce waste, and to maintain wind turbine blades without interrupting operations.

Level up

If Denmark is to realize the full potential of artificial intelligence and the green transition, it is essential to maintain a clear, two-pronged focus.
That is why we are pleased to have a minister who is set to bring together research, digitalization, and artificial intelligence, so that the political focus will not be limited to implementation and efficiency improvements.

Close collaboration between universities’ knowledge and technological development is necessary to ensure responsible use that safeguards our democratic values—and protects our climate.

It can be tempting to view AI as a tool that can streamline processes, eliminate jobs, and render people obsolete. But technology can also be seen as a tool that enables us—as a society—to take things to the next level, where green ambitions can be realized and well-being can be strengthened.

We therefore do not believe that the goal should be to use AI to do the same amount of work with fewer people, but rather to do more—and to do it better and more intelligently—with at least the same number of people as we have now.

If we do that, Denmark can look forward to becoming richer, greener, and more resilient.