Renewable energy
Renewable energy is the energy flow emitted from the sun and on which life on Earth depends. This energy maintains the temperature and is the motive power of biological life, as by virtue of sunlight plants can grow (photosynthesis) and form the food basis for all other forms of life.
When solar energy hits the ground, it is converted to biomass, wind power, hydropower, solar energy, etc. These different forms of renewable energy can be harnessed for energy supply.
Renewable energy is CO2-neutral. The use of renewable energy does not emit the greenhouse gas CO2 to the atmosphere, which is in contrast to the use of fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas).
The Danish Energy Agency is involved in research and development projects, including projects in renewable energy. In addition special settlement rules apply for electricity from certain types of plants that exploit renewable energy.
Renewable energy in Denmark
Biomass, hydropower and wind power have been exploited for centuries and are still by far the most important forms of renewable energy. But other renewable sources are increasingly exploited or attempted developed at the experimental level. Geothermal energy and direct solar energy are of increasing importance in practice, while wave energy and other forms of energy from the ocean are still being explored at the purely experimental level. Biomass and wind power are the most important renewable energy sources in Denmark.
The overall use of renewable energy had in 2005 reached 129 PJ incl. net imports. Thus renewable energy covered 15.5 percent of the climate-adjusted gross energy consumption from 6.4 percent in 1990 and 3.4 percent in 1980.
Biomass, which is the largest renewable energy source in Denmark, contributes over 10 percent of the total energy consumption in 2005 (1/3 of the biomass is biodegradable waste). Wind power contributes almost 3 percent.
The share of renewable energy in the Danish electricity generation for domestic use in 2005 was estimated at 28.5 percent. Here wind alone contributed 18.5 percent.
