The country, which produced 41% of its energy from wind power in 2018,
the highest level in Europe , last week passed an ambitious climate act which
commits it to cut greenhouse gas emissions to 70% of 1990 levels by 2030 and
achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, with new, legally binding targets every five
years from 2020.
The capacity of the new park, to be financed mainly by the private
sector at a total cost of 200 bn-300 bn Danish kroner (27- 41 GEUR), would be
five times higher than Denmark’s current wind power output, the climate and
energy minister Dan Jørgensen said. “If we are to realise the the enormous potential of offshore wind, new
technologies will have to be developed to convert green power into fuel for aircraft,
ships and industry,” Jørgensen added.
The ministry has allocated 65m kroner from its 2020 budget to research
into storing and converting the energy coming into the new wind park to
renewable hydrogen, since the power it generates will not all be used by
Denmark’s 6 million inhabitants.
A range of different locations were being explored for the project,
including in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea , the ministry said.
Eight of the 10 parties in the Danish parliament agreed the new climate
act, which besides setting tough new emission targets and instituting a a
stringent control mechanism obliges the government to present definite projects
each year to decarbonise every sector, from energy to transport to agriculture. “ We have decided not to aim for what we know to be possible, but what
we know to be necessary,” Jørgensen said when the act was passed last Friday.
“Our task is now to make the necessary possible. With the target enshrined in a
legally binding climate act, we hope Denmark can inspire other countries to
follow suit.” [enr]
