High winds on July 9 in Denmark resulted in a surge in wind power production 140 percent more than total demand in the country.
As a result, Denmark was able to export power to Norway, Germany and Sweden. Thursday evening Denmark found itself generating 116 percent of its needs. As demand dropped during the night, the percentage increased to 140 percent. There are interconnectors that allow Denmark to share 80 percent of the surplus equally with Germany and Norway. Sweden took the other 20 percent.
Oliver Joy, spokesperson for the European Wind Energy Association said: “It shows that a world powered 100% by renewable energy is no fantasy. Wind energy and renewables can be a solution to decarbonisation – and also security of supply at times of high demand.” At the time of peak production Denmark's windfarms were still not operating at full capacity
Denmark hopes to produce half of its electricity from renewable resources by 2020 but a recent increase in windfarm installations could result in the target being reached well before this date according to an energy consultant. The consultant noted that year-on-year growth in windfarms has been 18 per cent. About three quarters of Denmark's wind capacity comes from onshore windfarms. The Danish gives strong support for their development.
A recent EU study shows that offshore windfarms are cheaper than either coal or gas when the health impacts are factored into cost estimates. In 2013, wind power was the largest source for electricity in Spain. The resultant reduction in emissions is calculated at more than 23 percent.
The UK government is reducing support for production from windfarms. It announced withdrawal of support for them next year and also made building of onshore windfarms more difficult. The Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing described the move as "anti-business". He also said that the decision could increase unemployment as well.
To encourage development of the windfarm industry on a European scale there must be considerable investment in the ageing EU power grid to allow excess production in one area to be shared easily with other areas. A single market could be developed for electricity distribution.
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