DENMARK PLANS A FUTURE WITHOUT FOSSIL FUELS

ENERGY STRATEGY: The Danish government has long-term plans to free the country from dependency on coal, oil and natural gas

In 2025 renewables will account for at least 30% of total Danish energy consumption. Today renewable energy in total covers 14% of gross energy consumption and over 28% of the electricity generated. Renewables in Denmark include wind, waste, biomass, heat pumps, solar and geothermal energy. Long term, the plan is to free Denmark from dependency on fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas.

Those are the headlines of an ambitious energy strategy presented by the Danish government at the beginning of this year. The government has also formulated a climate plan, which will ensure that Denmark meets probably the most ambitious greenhouse gas targets worldwide. By 2012 Denmark will reduce emissions by 21% and 30% by 2020.

At the presentation of the energy strategy, Minister for the Environment Connie Hedegaard said that new technology will be developed to reach the new targets. To maintain Denmark’s technological lead, the government has allocated EUR 150 million for further research and development, including a programme to test new energy and environmental technologies in practice.

The programme is geared towards commercialisation of Denmark’s key competences in second generation biofuels for transportation, high-power and high-efficiency wind turbines, materials and methods for energy sparing buildings, and research and development in hydrogen and fuel cell technology.