August 2, 2007
Denmark
Denmark
Denmark still leads the world in wind power per capita but experts are worried that its position is starting to weaken.
Statistics continue to support Denmark’s claim to being one of the world leaders when it comes to wind energy, but experts are concerned over failure to erect new wind turbines, reports financial daily Børsen.
Denmark’s current wind energy statistics appear solid: according to the Global World Energy Council it is the world’s fifth-leading country when it comes to total installed wind power capacity, and number one in overall when it comes to per capital generation.
But that position is in danger, say industry experts. They point out that while other countries are rapidly increasing their reliance on wind power, Denmark, it appears, is beginning to rest on its laurels: when it comes to capacity expansion, Denmark has fallen off GWEC’s top-20 list for 2006.
‘The global development looks amazingly good and should continue,’ said Rosa Andersen, an advisor for the Danish Wind Industry Association. ‘But the good international figures hide the fact that Denmark only installed six new wind turbines all of last year, and that’s embarrassing.’
Hans Henrik Lindboe, a civil engineer with consultancy firm Ea Energy Analyses, agreed that Denmark needs to step up its wind power production.
‘We’re lagging behind when it comes to installation of new wind turbines,’ he said.
Denmark, however, generates nearly 20 percent of its electricity from wind power and the widespread use here is one reason why the European Union met its target for wind power five years early.
Despite the domestic slowdown the global wind power market increased by 26 percent last year, which has the same experts forecasting a sunny future for wind turbine manufacturers.
‘Denmark,’ Lindboe said, ‘still has a great opportunity to be the world leader when it comes to the installation of new wind turbine capacity.’
2 August 2007
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2007/08/02/diminished-growth-worries-wind-industry/