Danish Renewable Generation Reaches 40% of Supply

By Paul Gipe

Wind Supplies 28% of Danish Electricity

Net CO2 Emissions Continue to Decline

Renewable energy continues to grow in Denmark said the Danish Energy Agency in a release in September 2012. The release remains pertinent because of the central role Denmark has played in the success of renewable energy, especially its development of wind energy.

Consumption of renewable energy increased in 2011 as a result of a large increase in wind-generated electricity, according to the energy agency.

Electricity generation from renewable sources accounted for 40.7% of domestic electricity supply in 2011, of which wind power contributed 28.1%.

The February 2008 energy agreement included the goal that renewable energy was to cover at least 20% of adjusted gross energy consumption by 2011. This goal was met.

Contrary to undocumented claims that Denmark’s CO2 emissions have increased because of their development of wind energy, emissions from energy consumption fell in 2011 by 10.6%. Adjusted CO2 emissions fell by 2.8%.

Since 1990 adjusted CO2 emissions have declined by 25.2%.

In 2011 Denmark was the only EU member state to be energy self-sufficient, said the agency. The degree of self-sufficiency for energy for Denmark was 110% in 2011 compared with 121% in the previous year. Energy production was 10% greater than energy consumption in 2011.