Aarhus – Capital of Wind Energy - Aarhus.dk

#1Denmark was a first mover inthe field of wind energy. This isa strong asset today.The Danish Legacy• Denmark was a pioneer of wind energy• The combined effort of grass roots movements, political visionaries, and enterprising manufacturerscreated the world’s first green superpower• Even today, this legacy provides a strong platform for global competitionIn the wake of the 2009 climate summit in Copenhagen,Denmark has won international acclaim for its early commitmentto wind energy. Denmark is recognised as thefirst country in the world to utilise wind turbines considerablyin its energy production. And in less than threedecades, the wind industry has become a heavyweight incorporate Denmark. Today, the Danish wind turbine industryis a global leader. It comprises top internationalmanufacturers, a solid supply chain, and a strong researchcommunity. Despite the financial crisis and global recession,manufacturers and suppliers achieved a combinedturnover of 91.4 billion kroner in 2009 – underlining theirposition as a strong and expanding industry. See figure 1.”Denmark has developed new green solutions whilegenerating economic growth. This has made Denmarka benchmark and the center of the world’s attention. Formany agents in the market, ‘Do what Denmark does’ isthe strategic starting point,” says Christian Kjær, managingdirector of the Brussels-based European Wind Energy Association(EWEA).Wind energy is a large market, and it requires substantialtechnological, scientific, and financial muscle to playit. Unlikely as it seems, a small country like Denmark hasbeen able to take and defend a leading position in the racefor growth.To a great extent, the secret behind the success of theDanish wind industry can be found in its early days.The popular view, at least in Denmark, is that the industryemerged as hippies in the 1970s began to build windmillsto ‘live in harmony with nature’. This is not entirelyuntrue, but hardly covers the full story. The fact is that it coincidedwith a strong political wish to obtain self-sufficiencyin terms of energy. Denmark’s big windpower push owesto close collaboration between public authorities, researchinstitutions, the business world, and the general public.Four factors in particular provided the conditions forDenmark’s exploit:• A BOLD VISION: From the beginning, the wind turbineindustry’s development has been driven by a clear visionto make Denmark self-sufficient with energy. Thetwo oil crises in the 1970s made future energy supplies,Steady GrowthTurnover in the Danish wind industry, billion Danish kroner10080604020020062007 2008 2009Figure 1: The turnover of the Danish wind industry is increasingevery year.Source: Danish Wind Industry Association: Danish Wind Industry AnnualStatistics 2010.10 Mondaymorning Aarhus – Capital of Wind Energy 11