The Independent View: Denmark Generated Almost Half of Its Electricity from Wind in 2019

Wind turbines in the Baltic Sea. Photo: Patrick Pleul/picture alliance via Getty Images

Wind Power Accounted for a Record 47% of the Electricity Consumed in Denmark in 2019, up from 41% in 2018, and 43% in 2017, Reuters reports.

The Country’s Grid Operator Energinet, said that Cost Reductions and Improved Offshore Turbines contributed to the Boost.

Denmark started Investing in Wind Technology in the 1970s, has Favorable Windy Conditions, and is home to Turbine Producer Vestas and Orsted, the World’s Largest Developer of Offshore Wind Farms.

European Countries are the World's Leading Producers of Wind Power.

Denmark Generates the Most Wind Power, followed by Ireland, which sourced 28% of its Power from Wind in 2018, according to WindEurope.

Denmark hopes to Curb its Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 70% and Source 100% of its Electricity from Renewable Sources by 2030.

Offshore Wind Power is poised to Grow rapidly and fill an Important Role in the World's Renewable Electricity mix, a New International Energy Agency (IEA) Report found.

Although Offshore Wind provides just 0.3% of Global Electricity Today, IEA predicts within about Two Decades it will Increase at least 15-fold and make up between 3.1% to 5.4%, depending on how Aggressively Countries enact Policies to Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions.

Here are a few U.S. Big-Picture Highlights from the Report from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Analysts:-

- New Wind Power Capacity additions were "robust" last year, totaling nearly 7,600 Megawatts.

- Investment in New Plants was $11 Billion, and there's more Bang for the Buck. The Average Per-Kilowatt installed Cost of Wind Projects is 40% Lower than 2009–2010.

- Wind Power Prices are Lower than ever. Power Purchase Deals they Analyzed show an Average Cost below 2¢/kWh, which is Less than a Third of 2009 Prices.

- Wind now Provides 6.5% of U.S. Power, and it's over 30% in Iowa, Kansas, and Oklahoma.

- The Average Capacity for Newly Installed Turbines is 239% Higher than it was 20 years ago.

This doesn't mean Wind isn't facing Hurdles. Per Department of Energy (DOE), the Looming Phaseout of Federal Tax Credits for New Projects is expected to slow the rate of project growth starting in 2021. Other challenges, per the report: "Expectations for continued low natural gas prices and modest electricity demand growth also put a damper on growth expectations, as do limited transmission infrastructure and competition from natural gas and — increasingly — solar energy."