Wind power in Denmark! Wind power in Sweden?

Abstract

It is now fifteen years since the oil crisis started the hunt for “new” energy sources. In Denmark and Sweden modern national wind energy programmes started around 1975 to investigate the possibilities for using wind power and eventually erect windmills. Internationally both contries quickly got a reputation of being among the few leading contries in wind energy. How is it today? This paper compares wind power development in Denmark and Sweden based upon documents and interviews with representatives for utilities and governmental authorities in both countries. The study behind this paper was concluded in 1986 and it focuses on the following factors: • ∗ energy systems • ∗ historical tradition • ∗ energy policy • ∗ scale of technology • ∗ attitudes. In Denmark far more windmills have been erected than in Sweden. The total effect of small scale windmills in Denmark was about 60 MW in 1985, and large scale units nearly 8 MW. Late 1985 the Danish government decided that another 100 MW effect should be installed. Medium scale units (around 200 kW) are mostly to be used. In Sweden the main and almost sole activity has been to build two large scale prototypes (2 and 3 MW respectively). Most of the explanation to this may probably be found in the different energy systems of the two countries. Sweden has much hydro power of its own and, so far, one of the world's larger nuclear programmes. The price per kWh is also very low (0,25 SEK). Denmark never installed nuclear power, and wind power is one of her few domestic energy sources. In Denmark there has been a political will to promote wind power, and an alert public has not only organized a strong enough pressure on the government but was also able to cope with the utilities. In Sweden wind power has so far always been regarded very expensive, but this is probably a result from the opinion that only large scale windmills could contribute significantly to the energy supply. The Swedish government has so far demonstrated virtually nothing more than a superficial, almost cosmetic, interest in wind power and the utilities have a strong negative attitude towards wind power; probably because wind power and nuclear power are regarded as competing energy sources, and not supplementary. So far, not even the Chernobyl catastrophy has caused any notable changes in the Swedish attitude, neither politically nor as concerns the utilities.