02-02 Windy Denmark

This is Bernie Sanders country where people have public health care and education paid for by the state. And, Bernie, don’t forget to tell Americans about their 25% sales tax, and the electricity tax used to subsidize wind power.
And, you can see those subsidized offshore wind turbines cruising from Copenhagen. What is so surprising is the unexpected growth in their wind turbine industry over the years. Quirky. They have about 6300 wind turbines functioning today, and plan to have all sources of energy powered by mostly wind within ten years.
Fortunately, because of their geography, they are connected to power grids in Norway, Sweden and Germany. So, can’t use all that power being generated at night? The surplus just goes to wherever.
We should think back to the 1970s when OPEC raised crude oil prices from $3 US to $12 US a barrel. It was a double shock for Europe that imports its oil.
At the time, I was crusading about the implications of this jump in oil prices, as the leader of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. It meant things like offshore oil exploration, tar sands development and pipelines for Canada.
But for nations like Denmark, close to the Baltic and North Sea, it meant manufacturing wind turbines to take advantage of steady, high-speed wind.
The latest figures show Denmark relying on wind power for 47% of its electrical power. It is a “top of the world” number.
But what Denmark has achieved is a quality global turbine industry. And I thought all the Danes made for the world were hearing aids, of which I am one of their customers. Oops. Forgot their cheese.
Anyway, from the photo we can see a manufacturer making the world’s biggest wind turbine with one of the turbine blades shown outside the factory. It’s about the length of a football field.
This is big business, and business of this scale usually means governments and businesses in bed together. No failures allowed, and subsidies that keep rolling along.
Part of the quirky history of wind turbine power in Denmark is that the public is not too keen about the onshore part of the business. Bloody noisy. Can’t sleep at nights. Property values plummet. And those poor eagles getting chewed.
So, it’s back to offshore action, with plans to build artificial islands surrounded by wind turbines.
But, the important part of this story is that Danish wind turbines are becoming more and more efficient. And increasing efficiency, hopefully, means lower energy costs and an industry that can survive without subsidies.
But subsidies are political, and every nation has its favourite industries and companies. The secret is to find secret-like ways to subsidize your buddies that the public can’t figure out. Like complex tax rules. Like calling it research and development. In the US, it’s called defense spending.
Despite all the European renewables being subsidized, I love listening to their politicians promising to be free of fossil fuels by 2050. Not sure they know how to power their ships and planes.
But small nations that want to grow must rely on science and innovation. So, super batteries anyone? How about biofuels from garbage? How about super subsidies? Get going Denmark. Great work on wind.