EnergyBiz - January/February 2008 - (Page 26) the Ramboll engineering firm. The modern wind turbine, she said, “is a spectacular piece of art.” Such zealous enthusiasm explains why foreign developers turn to Denmark to develop wind projects. Consider the stunning new Bahrain World Trade Center, which has three wind turbines that will generate 15 percent of the twin-tower’s electricity needs, making it the first such building of its kind in the world. The turbines were made by Norwin, a small Danish manufacturer, and the project was overseen by Ramboll. Soren Juel Petersen, Ramboll director of wind energy, said, “We see urban wind as a new niche.” As for those Americans who say the design of the current power grid is an impediment to widespread wind generation, Danes say America must make needed investments in the grid to make it more reliable. Peter Wenzel Kruse, Vestas vice president, forthrightly declared, “The U.S. grid is worn down. You’re just walking a thin line of collapsing the economy.” Investing in the grid would allow wind generation to The new Bahrain go forward. “There is tons of cheap wind World Trade Center sports three wind power in the Midwest,” he said. turbines made Denmark has invested heavily in its by Norwin and power grid, viewing its as a necessary engineered by resource, according to Lise Nielson, program Ramboll, both of coordinator for Energinet, which develops Denmark, that will generate up to and owns Denmark’s electricity and natural 15 percent of the gas transmission lines. “Utilities and grids building’s electricity. in Denmark have always worked on a phOTO cOurTEsy OF nonprofit basis,” she said. The grid operators raMBOLL are dedicated to spurring development of all viable generation resources. “We will build grid out to any generation.” Furthermore, Energinet has long sought the highest levels of reliability, building its power grid in a robust circular design similar to fiber-optic telecommunications networks in the United States. Costly, perhaps, “but what is the cost of a blackout?” Nielson asked. (CONTINuEd FROm PAGE 24 ) and energy savings. Renewable energy and energy savings are not show stoppers when it comes to economic growth. EnErgyBiz Denmark has made a commitment to lessen its dependence on all fossil fuels. schiLLing Yes. EnErgyBiz Does that include natural gas? schiLLing Yes. All fossil fuels on a very, very long term. EnErgyBiz How can a modern industrial society make that commitment? schiLLing How can a modern society have 20 or 50 percent wind energy in its electricity production? Many people still see a wind turbine as a little turbine next to the farm and that the only production it can supply is for the use for this farm and maybe three or four houses. Some say that wind energy is only there when the wind blows, so of course what good is a day when you don’t have any wind? We in Denmark have shown that wind energy can be part of a modern, highly industrialized society – that it can meet the demands for electricity. If people said 20 years ago that the wind turbines would be at 1 megawatt or 4.5 megawatts, it was unimaginable. Now they are planning for up to 8 to 10 megawatts? schiLLing Exactly. Right now four wind turbines can provide electricity to a very big city in Denmark. EnErgyBiz EnErgyBiz Does wind still require government subsidies? schiLLing Some say that you can only have wind energy if you pay three or four times the market price. It is true that it’s still necessary to provide a subsidy for wind energy. On the other hand, the production cost of wind energy today is one-third or one-fourth of what it was 15 years ago. The wind turbines are big and expensive, but they produce more than a hundred times more than just 15 years ago. EnErgyBiz Denmark is a small country of 5 million people. What lessons could the United States, with 300 million people, draw from Denmark’s experience developing wind power? Is your success exportable to the United States? (CONTINuEd ON PAGE 28 ) 26 E n E rgyB i z January/February 2008
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