Denmark and the United States: Can One Inspire the Other on Climate and Energy?

April 20, 2012

As a U.S. House appropriations panel votes to cut funding for energy efficiency and renewable energy research and development and the U.S. Congress worries about what to do about rising gasoline prices and energy insecurity, Denmark is uniting politically behind a bold plan to end its dependence on fossil fuels. Improving energy efficiency and expanding renewable energy (including bioenergy) are key.

On April 18, the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development approved a spending bill that would cut the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy by about 17 percent below this year’s level (according to an April 17 article from Platts). Energy efficiency and renewable energy do not seem to be priorities for this committee.

Meanwhile, both the House and Senate have held hearings in recent weeks about the causes of the latest run-up in global oil prices. There has been much finger-pointing about who and what are to blame, but so far, there has been little unity in Congress about what to do.

And, as far as climate change goes, it does not seem to be much of a concern for Congress either, despite mounting international scientific concern that climate change is contributing to an increase in highly destructive storms and extreme weather events such as those experienced recently in the United States.

Contrast these Washington, D.C., perspectives with the view from Denmark today. The people of Denmark are also concerned about energy security. However, most also recognize and are concerned about the growing harmful effects of climate change. They recognize that fossil fuels are finite and are causing harmful climate change. And, as such, Denmark is uniting behind a plan to do something about these growing challenges to their energy, economic, and environmental security.

According to a March 28 press release from the Danish Energy Agency , about 95 percent of the members of parliament (from all of the major political parties) are expected to endorse a new national plan to cut energy consumption 12 percent below 2006 levels by 2020, to produce half of Denmark’s electric power from wind energy by 2020, and to end reliance on fossil fuels by 2050. The Agency says "The initiatives in the agreement will lead to CO2 emissions in 2020 being 34% lower than they were in 1990. At the same time, the agreement will ensure a stable framework for the business community as a whole, and the energy sector in particular."

According to an April 17 article in Renewable Energy News , bioenergy comprises about 70 percent of Denmark’s renewable energy production today. Bioenergy production will continue to increase under the new plan, with new requirements and incentives for biomass combined heat and power (CHP), biogas production, and biofuels.

In related news, Bloomberg reports, April 11, that Denmark’s largest electric utility, Dong Energy, has announced that it will begin converting three of its coal and natural gas-fired plants, with a combined power production capacity of one gigawatt, to biomass CHP in the near future. According to the Dong Energy website , with biomass CHP district energy systems, up to 90 percent of the energy value of the biomass can be put to use. Dong Energy currently uses about one million tons of biomass per year in other power plants – much of which is imported. Under the new plan, Dong Energy’s demand for biomass will likely increase to 2.5 million tons per year.