Renewable energy in Denmark

Production by source

Percentage electricity generation in Denmark by source 2014. Elaborated data from Energinet.dk.^[10]

In 2014 wind energy produced 42.7 percent of Denmark's net electricity generation, the largest share from any source and larger than non renewable generated electricity. Biofuels (wood, straw and biogas) and the biodegradable part of waste provided the next largest RE source at 12.7% of national generation. Solar power has grown significantly in recent years from a low base and provides a further 2% share.Hydroelectricity provided just 0.1% of net national generation but the country maintains strong links to its neighboring countries large hydroelectric reserves. Fossil fuels and other non renewable sources accounted for just 42.6% of Denmarks total net generation and continues to decline. Total RE generated electricity accounted for 57.4% of Denmark’s net national electricity generation in 2014.

Growth of electricity generated by renewables

* excludes internal consumption by plant. ** figures in italics include photovoltaics. *** includes biofuels and biodegrable fraction of waste.

The proportion of total Danish electricity generated by renewables rose between 2007 and 2014 from 28.1% to 57.4%. Total renewable electricity generation grew from 10,392 GWh in 2007 to 17,562 GWh by 2014, a rise of 69%. Since 2007 most of the growth in RE electricity generation continues to be the result of growing wind power generation (accounting for +56.9% of total generation growth), thermal generation from RE fuels added an additional 6.5%, Solar power has also made an impact as a new power source of an additional 597 GWh (5.7%) since 2012.

Reduction in fossil fuel generated electricity

Renewable energy generation in Denmark increased from 10,392 GwH to 17,562 GWh between 2007 and 2014.^{[1][11][12][13][14]} Fossil fuel generation fell from 26,318 GWh to 12,405 GWh in 2014.^{[1][11][12][13][14]} Electricity generated from renewables first exceeded electricity from fossil fuels in 2012 and again in 2014.

So how does a country which generates the largest share of its electricity needs from wind power cope on calm windless days? Denmark sees this challenge as an opportunity to develop new solutions and in so doing is transforming its energy sector and upgrading its technological and engineering capability and is now exporting these worldwide. One of the ways the country manages is by exporting electricity on days when wind production is very high (Some days Denmark produces more electricity from wind power alone then the entire country requires). Much of the power is exported and stored in Norwegian and Swedish hydroelectric systems via the system of pumped storage (storing power for future use by pumping reservoir levels up higher). On calm days the power can be reimported. The country also imports and exports electricity to Germany and across the Nordic region which moves power to where it is most in demand given production conditions on each day. As electricity can be transported thousands of kilometres with only a few percentage point transmission losses the load and variability can be spread across a wider and more stable geographic area. These long distance transmission lines are being upgraded across both the Nordic region and more widely across Europe.

The country has also developed power plants which can increase their output much more rapidly than traditional ones to respond to fluctuating production from wind sources. Many of these plants are the many smaller and dispersed CHP power plants across the country. The production and dispersion of electricity across Denmark, the Nordic region and Germany can be viewed in real time on the Energinet.dk website. The site illustrates wind and power production, electricity imports and exports, and the contribution made by CHP plants to both district heating and stabilising electricity production. The link to this site is here Energinet.dk.

Wind power

Electricity generated by wind power in Denmark rose from 7,170 GWh in 2007 to 13,078 GwH in 2014. Offshore wind power has been growing in importance, rising from 19.1% of total wind production in 2007 to 34.5% of production by 2014. Denmark was the world's leading windpower country in 2014 by percentage of demand coverage at 39% of Danish electricity consumption.^[21]

Ambitious plans for future development include increasing production from the 13.1 TWh produced in 2014 to 23.3 TWh by 2024, which would raise demand coverage from 39% to 61% over the period.^[21] Offshore and nearshore windpower is expected to grow quicker than land based wind power to reach almost parity with land based production by 2024 (49%).^[21]

Denmark often produces more electricity from windpower than the entire country requires and will export it for sale or for storage in hydroelectric dams in Norway and Sweden. Occasionally electricity prices turn negative for producers when there is a glut of electricity production and lack of demand abroad as well. One result of this has been the growth of electric boilers being installed in district heating plants.^[22] When there is an excess of electricity the plants can use cheap electricity to heat the hot water instead of finite bio or fossil fuels. As wind production rises the problem of too much electricity being generated will also give rise to new challenges and solutions. Electric heating and cooling can also be used in the form of more efficient heat pumps to mop up excess electricity supply. The electricity sector will in effect expand into the heating and cooling sector to displace current energy sources.

Renewable thermal

RE thermal generation includes electricity generated from biofuels and electricity generated from the fraction of waste that is biodegradable. Since 2010 RE thermalgeneration in Denmark has accounted for approximately 4000 GWh per year.^[1][13][14]

Biofuels also play an increasingly important part in district heating. The proportion of heat generated by biofuels has been rising since the 1980s and by 2013 close to 45% of district heat was produced by renewables.^[4] A rough calculation of the 60% of households provided with district heat would imply that renewable fuels provide just over a quarter of Denmark’s heating and hot water needs in that year.

RE generation from waste.

RE generation from waste reduced a little over the period to 792 GWh in 2014, the reduction being due to less availability of waste and the reduced proportion of waste being classified as renewable energy in 2011. Overall about 2.6% of national electricity was generated by RE generation from waste.^[23] Denmark incinerates close to 3 million tonnes of waste each year to produce electricity and heat, most of it is produced domestically with a smaller share imported from abroad. There are 28 waste incineration plants in the country. The waste powered CHP plants may also co burn additional fossil fuels, including oil and natural gas, but increasingly biomass is used to improve the performance of waste energy production. Only the carbon neutral biodegradable part of waste is classified as renewable energy generation which was defined as 55 percent of total waste from 2011 (in 2009 it was 58.8 percent).^[23] Total waste provided 20 percent of district heating generation and between 4 and 5 percent of electricity generation in the country.^[24] Energy production from waste over the next ten years is expected to remain at similar levels, new pre treatments of waste may however be developed.

Biogas.

Biogas generation has been rising steadily from a low base and reached 447 GWh of electricity production in 2014 contributing about 1.5% of Denmarks electricity. Approximately 75% of biogas generating plants are 3 MW or smaller in size which numbered approximately 120 plants in 2015.^[23] A further 15 larger CHP plants account for the remaining approximately 25% of biogas consumption and co-fire biogas, mostly with natural gas. The largest source of Biogas is from manure, other sources include water treatment plants and landfill sites. Many of the smaller plants are located on farms and or other sources of biogas. Smaller biogas plants tend not to contribute heat to district heating networks. Denmark intends to increase production and use of biogas from 4PJ consumption in 2015 to 17 PJ by 2020 with the goal of using 50% of manure in the country.^[23] Most of the new biogas is likely to be injected directly into the gas system and used for industry and transport.

Biomass.

Biomass provides the largest share of renewable energy in Denmark when considering the electricity sector, heating and cooling sector and transport sector combined. The fuel contributed to approximately 8.6% of total electricity generation in Denmark generating 2,631 GWh of electricity in 2014.^[23] Total consumption of biomass amounted to 107 PJ in 2013.^[23] There were 39 CHP plants using biomass as a fuel in 2014 consuming approximately 2.7 million tonnes to produce heat and power, corresponding to 40.94 PJ consumption in that year.^[23] Biomass is sometimes co-fired with other fuels including a small percentage that is co-fired with waste. Around 40% of the biomass used in Denmark is imported including the majority of wood pellets.

Electricity generated from biomass increased dramatically in 2010 following in increased share in its use in a number of power plants. Between 2009 and 2014 production of power increased by around 50%. By 2024 biomass is expected to double the percentage of renewable energy share from 15% to 30% of renewable electricity production in Denmark.^[23] Total consumption of Biomass is expected to rise to 115PJ by 2024. A number of power stations are being converted from using coal to using wood pellets as a fuel. Some smaller CHP plants are converting from using natural gas to biomass.

Solar power

Solar power is a relatively recent arrival in Denmark and significant generation first occurred in 2012 with 104 GWh of electricity generation. By 2014 this had risen to 597 GWh.^[1][14] The large increase in solar deployment in 2012 was aided by incentives including tax credits and net settlement for produced power. In response to a dramatic rise in solar installations during that year the incentives were revised downwards for 2013 and a smaller rise occurred during that year. Smaller solar installations predominate with 73% of PV cell capacity being less than 6 kW by the end of 2014,^[24] a sign that incentives have largely benefitted households. Installed capacity of Solar PV is predicted to rise to 1,140 MW by 2024 and provide an estimated 3% of electricity consumption in Denmark.^[24]

Targets

*Transport consumption as defined in Article 3 (4) (a) of Directive 2009/28/EC, renewable electricity in motor transport counts 2.5 x value.

The table above shows the expected trajectory for shares of renewable energy in the three sectors as well as the overall target trajectory. Overall between 2005 and 2020 renewable energy sources are expected to rise from 16.5% to 30% of total energy use.

Progress

The above table shows the actual overall and by sector renewable energy consumption achieved (PJ) in the years 2013-2014 as outlined in Denmark's NREAP progress report.^[16]According to the Progress Report submitted by Denmark to the European Commission by 2014 Denmark had achieved a 28.45% share of overall renewable energy use across all energy uses. This included a 44.48% share in the electricity sector, a 38.4% share in the heating and cooling sector and a 5.67% share in the transport sector for 2014. Overall Denmark is running well ahead of its predicted trajectory and was close to achieving its 2020 as early as 2014. Total renewable energy consumption is a little below predicted levels at 177.8 PJ but this is more than compensated by a fall in overall energy consumption partly as a result of efficiency gains.