Masnedø () is a Danish island between

Zealand Zealand ( ) is the largest and most populous islands of Denmark, island in Denmark proper (thus excluding Greenland and Disko Island, which are larger in size) at 7,031 km2 (2715 sq. mi.). Zealand had a population of 2,319,705 on 1 Januar ...

and

Falster Falster () is an island in south-eastern Denmark with an area of and 43,398 inhabitants as of 1 January 2010.

. The island covers an area of 1.68 km² and has 156 inhabitants.

Transportation

Masnedø can be reached by the

Masnedsund Bridge The Masnedsund Bridge () is a bascule bridge that crosses Masnedsund between the islands Masnedø and Zealand () in Denmark. It carries road and railway traffic, as well as pedestrians and bicycles. Together with Storstrøm Bridge it connects ...

from Zealand or the

Storstrøm Bridge The Storstrøm Bridge (, ) is a road and railway arch bridge that crosses Storstrømmen between the islands of Falster and Masnedø in Denmark. Together with Masnedsund Bridge it connects Falster and Zealand (''Sjælland''). It was the main r ...

from Falster. The two bridges previously formed the major road and rail link between the two larger islands, but the road link has now been replaced in this role by the larger

Farø Bridges The Farø Bridges (, ) are two road bridges that connect the islands of Falster and Zealand in Denmark by way of the small island of Farø which is approximately mid-way across the Storstrømmen sound. A smaller bridge from Farø provides acce ...

, which cross the strait via the island of Farø. In connection with the

Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link The Fehmarn Belt fixed link (, ) or Fehmarn Belt tunnel is an under-construction immersed tunnel, which will connect the Danish island of Lolland with the German island of Fehmarn, crossing the Fehmarn Belt in the Baltic Sea. It will provid ...

, a new rail/road bridge is under construction.

Energy

The island is home to a wind farm consisting of five 750 KW turbines, generating maximum 3.5 MW, constructed 1986. It is intended that they will be replaced with two 4MW turbines. The generating complex also includes a

combined heat and power Cogeneration or combined heat and power (CHP) is the use of a heat engine or power station to electricity generation, generate electricity and useful heat at the same time. Cogeneration is a more efficient use of fuel or heat, because otherwise ...

(CHP) generating plant burning straw, which provides electricity as well as heating for 7,000 homes in nearby Vordingborg. The plant produces 8.3 MW of electricity and 21 MW heat from an annual consumption of 40,000 tonnes of straw. Heating is also provided for a large area of greenhouses adjacent to the plant. From 1987, from the plant was used to grow

tomato The tomato (, ), ''Solanum lycopersicum'', is a plant whose fruit is an edible Berry (botany), berry that is eaten as a vegetable. The tomato is a member of the nightshade family that includes tobacco, potato, and chili peppers. It originate ...

es faster, but the operation ended with a loss of DKK 140 million. Residual ash is returned to local farms as fertiliser. The plant was constructed in 1996.

Military

Masnedø is the site of an abandoned military defensive fort dating from 1912. The fort was a longstanding defensive position for Storstrømmen waters in wars against England and Sweden, but was also the first target in the world to be successfully attacked by

paratrooper A paratrooper or military parachutist is a soldier trained to conduct military operations by parachuting directly into an area of operations, usually as part of a large airborne forces unit. Traditionally paratroopers fight only as light infa ...

s, in 1940, when it was captured by

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

Fallschirmjäger The () were the airborne forces branch of the Luftwaffe before and during World War II. They were the first paratroopers to be committed in large-scale airborne operations. They were commanded by Kurt Student, the Luftwaffe's second-in-comman ...

s.Albert Merglen: Geschichte und Zukunft der Luftlandetruppen, Freiburg/Breisgau 1970, p26 The fort was taken over by the municipal authority in 1974, restored, and converted to an art gallery and home for music festivals.

References

External links

MasnedøfortetReport on CHP plant
Forts in Denmark Islands of Denmark {{Denmark-island-stub