2.6 - Denmark + Renewables

Question 1

What is Nordpool?

Answer 1

• Set of reciprocal agreements between Norway, Sweden and Germany to share renewable energy with each other
• also pass expertise to each other

Question 2

What is Denmark’s energy strategy?

Answer 2

• implementation of green taxes
• mass adoption of underground heating systems (heat pumps)
• building codes based on energy efficiency
• focus on energy efficiency of all appliances
• investment in renewables
• climate change laws
• tax incentives for use of greener technology
• initiatives to save energy

Question 3

How much of Denmark’s yearly energy needs are met by wind energy?

Answer 3

40%

Question 4

What are interconnecters?

Answer 4

• infrastructure allowing power grids of different countries to send and receive electricity from one another
  
  • allows Nordpool to exist

Question 5

How has Denmark showcased the potential of wind power?

Answer 5

• In July 2015, 116% of Denmark’s daily energy needs was produced on one day

Question 6

What is the general global strategy for energy use?

Answer 6

• IPCC: 3x renewable and recyclable energy output by 2050
  
  • from current 3%
• Wind and solar is increasingly being adopted
• However, nuclear is down in some places
  
  • eg. Japan post-Fukushima

Question 7

What are the motivating factors for investing and using renewables?

Answer 7

• Wealth and job creation through research and development
• creation of green economy
  
  • ensure economy remains sustainable
• fear of nuclear power

Question 8

What factors dissuade countries from investing in renewables?

Answer 8

• decreasing oil prices in the LT
• local scale impact on the environment
  
  • eg. Reservoirs created by hydroelectric dams can damage local ecosystems
• positive perception of nuclear

Question 9

What is Samso?

Answer 9

• Danish island, 9 miles off mainland
  
  • 1^st island powered 100% by renewable energy (wind and solar)
• used to be dependant on imports of coal and oil

Question 10

How is electricity produced on Samso?

Answer 10

• 21 wind turbines
• produces more energy than it consumes
  
  • excess energy is sold off (worth $3 million/yr)
  • used to reinvest in renewable infrastructure

Question 11

How is heating done on Samso?

Answer 11

• biomass
  
  • fuelled by locally grown straw
• 4 heating plants provide 75% of total heating needed

Question 12

How much has changing Samso cost?

Answer 12

• $80 million over past 15 years
  
  • funded by a mix of private investment and government subsidies

Question 13

What was the biggest barrier to using renewables on Samso?

Answer 13

• farmers needed to be convinced to share land with wind turbines and potentially other farmers

Question 14

How much do wind turbines save a family on Samso?

Answer 14

• $2000-3000/yr on electricity bills

Question 15

What is Denmark’s long term aim?

Answer 15

• to run on purely renewables by 2050
  
  • plan initially proposed after 1973 oil embargo
  • thus Denmark decided to pursue energy independent strategy

Question 16

What is encouraging traditional energy providers to switch to renewable energies?

Answer 16

• At times where energy production is above 100%, renewable energy generation is cheap enough to undercut oil imports
  
  • makes traditional power stations more expensive
  • has happened once in 2015, where all power stations shut down for 24 hours as it was simply too expensive to keep them running

Question 17

How high is Denmark’s tax on new cars?

Answer 17

• 180%
• encourages people to cycle or use alternatives
• is waived for electric car purchases

Question 18

How do people commute in Copenhagen?

Answer 18

• 1/3 of all commutes are done on bicycles

Question 19

How does Denmark use computers to increase efficiency?

Answer 19

• computerised systems can control appliances
  
  • results in appliances being ran when electricity demand is low and price is at its cheapest

Question 20

How can solar power be harnessed?

Answer 20

• Photovoltaic cell technology
• Concentrating solar power to evaporate steam using mirrors
  • drives turbines to generate electricity

Question 21

What are the advantages of using solar energy?

Answer 21

• low maintenance
• low noise pollution

Question 22

What are the disadvantages of using solar energy?

Answer 22

• technology is expensive and unreliable
  
  • results in high start up costs, limiting amount of energy harnessed
• Sunlight can be variable in places
• Panels take up land
  
  • may potentially decrease amount of land available for agriculture or residential use
• rare earth metals are needed for infrastructure

Question 23

What are the advantages of wind power?

Answer 23

• is cheap to build
• huge potential with offshore wind farms

Question 24

What are the disadvantages of wind power?

Answer 24

• large energy losses through electricity transmission lines
  
  • especially bad when moving from offshore wind farms
• energy generation is dependent on wind
  
  • therefore not continuous and not able to react to demand in real time

Question 25

What are the disadvantages of hydroelectric power?

Answer 25

• dams flood farmland
• starve rivers of sediment downstream
• need maintenance to prevent dams from leaking