Wind power capacity on the rise

28-01-2010 06:41 New figures issued by the Danish Energy Agency (DEA) show that the nation’s wind power industry is back in the ascendancy after a period of low growth. Although Denmark is seen as one of the world’s leading exporters of wind power technology, the utilization of its expertise has stalled in recent years.

According to the DEA, wind turbine capacity on the Danish mainland increased by 97 megawatts (MW) in 2009, the highest annual expansion since 2002. Offshore, the nation’s capacity increased by 237 MW.

The new figures show that wind power now accounts for around 20 percent of total electricity consumption in Denmark. However the Danish Wind Industry Association’s stated goal is to reach 50 percent of consumption by 2020, which, it says, will require annual onshore growth of around 160 MW.

The figures were welcomed by Jan Hylleberg, CEO of the Danish Wind Energy Association, who said in a statement that government programs offering incentives for turbine construction were now beginning to pay dividends. At the same time, he said, local municipalities were better able to define their role in turbine development after taking over responsibilities from regional governments.

"There is reason to praise development in 2009” Hylleberg said. “It was a good year compared to recent years. But we can also see that there is a way to go to the average of 160 megawatts we need to ensure the long-term development of the wind turbine market”