Danish National Policy - 50% Wind-Powered Electricity by 2030
Government backing
Energy Plans
Wind and Water Power
Phasing Out Coal
Quotes
"One of the keys to Denmark's success in wind energy has been a consistent national policy resulting in a strong domestic market" Paul Gipe, US wind energy analyst
Denmark has embraced wind power ever since the 1970s oil crisis first alerted politicians to the fragility of fossil fuels. In the 1990s the imperative is to avoid the disaster of global climate change. As part of their commitment to environmentally benign energy sources the Danes are aiming for half their electricity supply to be generated by the wind in the year 2030.
Against a background of heavy dependence on imported oil, the Danish Academy of Technical Sciences first concluded in 1975 that at least ten per cent of the country's electricity could come from the wind. Three years later the Risø National Laboratory and test station for wind turbines was established. This is now an international centre for wind energy expertise.
The Danish government initially supported the construction of wind turbines through an investment subsidy. This started at 30% in 1979 but reduced steadily until it was dropped altogether in 1990. There is now a guaranteed payment for every unit of wind powered electricity produced, set at a level to reflect its lack of pollution. At present this is 85% of the average retail price of electricity. There is also a rebate on electricity taxes.
This consistent support system, coupled with a dynamic manufacturing industry, has produced a steady expansion in wind energy. In 1990 there were 2,800 turbines in Denmark producing less than 2% of electricity. Now there are almost 5,000, contributing 7% of the country's power needs.
The Danish government's commitment to wind has been enshrined in a succession of energy plans. In 1981, the first plan envisaged 1,000 megawatts of wind energy by 2000. This total has already been exceeded.
The main thrust of the latest plan, Energy 21, is a major reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. The government's target is for a 20% cut in the 1988 level of emissions by 2005 and a halving of the figure by 2030. To achieve this, more than a third of all energy will have to come from renewable sources. Most of this will be wind power.
By 2030 wind power is expected to be supplying half of the country's electricity and a quarter of its total energy. To reach this level, a capacity in excess of 5,500 megawatts will need to be installed. 4,000 megawatts of that will be in offshore wind farms (see Briefing 4).
The majority of wind power development will continue to be on land until 2005. After that, one way to make better use of the limited sites available is to replace existing small turbines with newer more powerful models.
New management systems will have to be devised to ensure that such large quantities of wind power are integrated smoothly into the national electricity grid. One proposal is to exploit the excess quantities of hydro power produced in neighbouring Norway. When the wind blows strongest, the hydro reservoirs would be turned down; when the wind dies down, they would be opened up again. Such adjustments are possible in a matter of seconds.
"We will be making the most effective renewable system in the world," says Denmark's Environment and Energy Minister Svend Auken, "using a massive Danish wind energy system and massive Norwegian hydro power, and all to our mutual benefit."
To show its commitment to CO2 reduction, the Danish government has also decided to phase out coal completely as a fuel in power stations. As a first step towards this, a halt has been called to all proposed coal-fired plant. This follows a decision as long ago as 1985 to build no nuclear reactors.
Denmark's
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"I have decided that we will build no more new coal-fired power plants and we will gradually phase out the existing capacity. Much of that will be replaced by wind energy." Svend Auken, Minister for Environment and Energy
"Wind is important to us above all because we are tapping a natural resource. It can be used for energy supply with little cost to our economy in the long run and with great benefits for our environment." Svend Auken, Minister for Environment and Energy