Denmark aims to rule the clean-energy future

It’s been a long time since Denmark was a global power, but it’s shaping up to lead a power renaissance of a much different kind: clean power.

Unlike many other countries today, Denmark is not only not cheerleading for the Fossil Fuel 2.0 Age (that is, tar sands in Canada, shale oil in the US, coal-to-liquids in South Africa and beyond) but it’s pursuing renewables with a vengeance hard to find even in other heavily green parts of Europe.

Yes, Denmark-based Dong Energy still depends upon North Sea oil and gas for a lot of its business, although it’s also developing a lot of wind energy. It was also one of the first companies to team up with electric-car infrastructure promoter Better Place, way back in 2008.

But the nation itself has even greater ambitions. Under its new energy agreement, Denmark aims to get half of its electricity from wind power within just eight more years. (Wind currently generates one-fourth of its electricity.) By 2050, the country’s goal is to become “a society free of coal, oil and natural gas.”

That’s right. No “clean coal.” No natural gas “bridge fuel” to a clean-energy future. Just 100-percent coal-, oil- and natural gas-free.

How? Well, a supergrid will help Denmark do more of what it’s already been doing by allowing it to export excess wind energy during times of low demand in exchange for stored hydropower when demand is high. And, of course, it helps that it already has rich resources of offshore wind power, along with the offshore expertise that came with being a North Sea oil and gas developer.

No doubt, it also finds some motivation in the fact that, as a low-lying, peninsula-and-island nation surrounded by water, rising seas caused by climate change are something it would prefer to mitigate.

But, as the International Energy Agency (IEA) has pointed out, Denmark also enjoys a unique political climate “based on shared views — since 1909 no single party has had the majority in Parliament — which has allowed a clear, long-term vision to emerge, generally unimpeded by short-term political changes.”

In an IEA publication, Hans-Jørgen Koch, Deputy State Secretary at Denmark’s Energy Agency, further noted that Danish society tends to be equal, which also leads to many shared values.

“Critics have told me that the ‘Energy Strategy 2050’ will be terribly expensive for Denmark, but estimates show costs will work out at EUR 1 per day per household over the next 40 years,” Koch said. “Most Danish homes are ready to pay this as an insurance policy.”

If only most political leaders and households in the rest of the world’s 190-odd countries could say the same.