As the first country in the world, Denmark has decided to lead the transition and become entirely independent of fossil fuels by 2050. A key element in reaching this target is to expand the share of renewable energy harnessed from wind.

Denmark was the first country to install a commercial offshore wind farm 30 years ago and has been a first mover in the wind industry for decades. In 2019, Danish wind turbines covered the equivalent of 47.2 per cent of the Danish electricity consumption, which is a new record and more than a 7 per cent increase from 2018.

Global hub for wind energy innovation

Denmark is a global hub for wind energy innovation and development and the Danish wind industry employs more than 33,000 people. The availability of a highly skilled workforce, state-of-the-art facilities for testing prototypes and a comprehensive network of companies, research institutions and government research programs make up an innovative R&D environment like nowhere else in the world. In Denmark, you can test all parts of a wind turbine from nacelles and blades to full-scale, almost market-ready, turbines, which is why companies from all over the world have located central parts of their R&D operations in Denmark.

Securing a stable and cost-effective supply

Approximately 4,800 turbines with a combined effect of 6.9 GW are installed in Denmark today with most of them onshore. The 6.2 GW constitute more than a third of the overall Danish production capacity. The large-scale wind energy integration is made possible by a well-developed transmission infrastructure, capable of handling the fluctuating wind energy resource. The Danish electricity grid is connected to the neighbouring countries, enabling the import and export of energy during peak periods.

This white paper takes you through all the elements of the success story of wind energy in Denmark. From the starting point and what we now consider small-scale wind turbines to the projects and technologies that push the bar and the ambitions for wind energy as a source of renewable energy.