Danelaw for Wind!

Denmark, for long one of the most progressive countries, when it comes to renewable energy has now officially enshrined their climate goals into hard law, Danelaw if you like. That’s commitment!

The Danish party in power — the Social Democrats — supported by the Conservative People’s Party, the Socialist People’s Party and the Red-Green Alliance, had made the country’s climate goals the law. Denmark’s Climate, Energy and Building Minister, Rasmus Helveg Petersen, pictured below,  noted that the decision made it “truly a great day.”

DanishWindTurbines1 300x1041 Danelaw for Wind!

He added:

“The broad agreement on the 40% reduction of greenhouse gasses, to ensure meeting the ambitious targets that the government has set, will continue, even after an election. The Conservatives have announced their commitment to an agreement among the parties who take responsibility for the climate.”

To international observers, this should come as no surprise. In December last year wind power accounted for an awesome 55% of the country’s electricity used. That’s higher than any other country on the planet. The commitment now in the statute books is no half-hearted measure than can be easily attainable. The country has pledged that by 2020 Denmark’s greenhouse emissions will be 40% of what it was in the 1990s.

Last year, in a report issued by the authoritative American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) it was noted that Denmark acquired 26% of their yearly electricity demand from the wind. Of course, that figure grows month on month.

The Bill, if it becomes law,  would establish a legally binding requirement not only that Denmark cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent below 1990′s levels by 2020, but also that the government return to the question every five years to set the country new 10-year targets.

 

rasmus helveg petersen1 Danelaw for Wind!

In addition, the legislation would also establish a Climate Council (modelled on a similar body that exists in the UK) to advise the government on the best ways to continue reducing Denmark’s reliance on fossil fuels.

Former Danish governments have already committed the country to a goal of nothing less than 100 percent renewable energy generation by 2050, so this new bill is seen as a concrete step to achieving that goal.

It is difficult not to compare Dane’s enthusiasm for challenging and yet achievable green energy targets with those of the European Union.  The European Parliament recently passed a resolution to cut emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 across the EU as a whole. This EU target remains non-binding until it’s approved by the governments of the individual countries that make up the group. And of course, there is debate on exactly how the target should be divvied up amongst the member states. Those hit hardest by the recession, like Spain and Greece, will doubtless ask for a smaller share of the target.

Denmark has already been making substantial progress on the climate front. According to the Danish Energy Agency, renewable energy accounted for 43.1 percent of Denmark’s domestic electricity supply in 2012 and as we have said above, for 25.8 percent of all energy consumption in the country that year. The year before that, renewables provided 23.1 percent of Denmark’s electricity consumption.

Denmark, we salute you!