DENMARK
At end-1999 Danish installed wind capacity stood at
1 771 MW. The recent rate of growth is such that by
end-2000 it was reported that there were in excess
of 6 000 wind turbines, representing a capacity of
over 2 000 MW. The largest turbines incorporate technology
that is competitive to the extent that the use of
wind-produced electricity is one of the cheapest ways
of reducing CO2 emissions from power production.
The 2005 target set by the Government’s Renewable
Energy Initiative Package (Energy 21) (specifying
that 10% of the country’s electricity demand should
be met by a wind capacity of 1 500 MW) was attained
prior to the end of 1999. However, as turbines have
become larger, the availability of appropriate sites
has decreased and it has become increasingly difficult
to locate the installations. Most new capacity continues
to be built by private companies.
The present Energy 21 published in 1996 is the fourth
of the energy strategies and specifies energy policy
for the period to 2030. Any increase in onshore wind
turbine capacity after 2005 will be affected by various
actions, including the renovation of wind turbine
areas as well as by the removal or replacement of
existing turbines in accordance with regional and
municipal planning.
In the longer term the main thrust of new development
will take place offshore, following the first demonstration
installations at Vindeby in the Baltic Sea (1991)
and Tunø Knob in the area between Jutland and Samsø
(1995).
In June 1999 the Government approved five sites for
large-scale offshore wind farms with a total capacity
of 750 MW. The installations will be built and owned
by power utilities and the first two, each of about
150 MW, are expected to be operational in 2002. However,
as a forerunner to these projects, a smaller offshore
wind farm (Middelgrunden, located just outside Copenhagen
harbour) became operational at end-2000. With twenty
2 MW turbines producing approximately 85 million kWh
of electricity per annum, this is the world’s largest
offshore wind farm.
Addtionally, in order to provide the population with
greater opportunities to contribute to the use of
cleaner energy, small wind turbines (household-sized)
producing electricity for heat and power have been
erected in recent years.
Wind power economics continually improve in line with
the increased turbine capacity. As a result the Danish
Government has reduced the subsidy to the pay-back
rate for the electricity and in 2001 a market system
with Green certificates will be introduced.
COUNTRY NOTES
(WIND ENERGY)
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