This morning we visited the Danish Energy Agency, located in a beautiful facility right on the water. The presenters noted that they usually speak with governmental groups, such as the president of China who had been in Denmark the previous week. They made an exception for us, however, because they rarely have Americans interested in discussing energy issues.
The presentations focused on Denmark's energy goals. The nation wants to be at the forefront of alternative and sustainable energy sources, and it has goals to be CO2 and fossil fuel free by mid-century. The motivations behind these initiatives are threefold: (1) economic factors like the growing global demand for fossil fuels and rising energy costs; (2) climate considerations, and (3) job growth in green technologies. Today, 22% of Denmark's energy comes from renewable sources (wind, biogas, biofuel, biomass, and waste). The nation is achieving its goals in two ways: sourcing new energies and cutting back on energy consumption. From 1990-2011, the Danish economy grew by 33% but energy consumption fell by 1%. That statistic alone shows the remarkable results of their initiatives.
The second part of the presentation outlined the wind turbines that Denmark hopes will provide 50% of their electricity by 2020. I was interested by the human factor in the construction of these turbines. The offshore turbines have little impact on people, but cost twice as much to construct. The Danish government has created incentives (including compensation for loss of property damage, the opportunity for local residents to purchase turbine shares, and the construction of parks to enhance the community) to offset the burdens of living near these turbines. The head of the agency remarked at how they envied the United States and how much land we have available to build these turbines. She noted that we had vast stretches of land where the turbines could be built and never bother a soul. It was challenging to hear. I know that we have wind turbines in the U.S., but they are a minor source of our energy output. I dislike the idea that our nation is holding onto dying technologies while other countries are jockeying to capture the markets of the future. [Just to note, I did a little research on this topic when I got home. It appears that the world's largest wind farm in actually in Texas. Of course, it's always bigger in Texas!]
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| The view from the Oresund Bridge of an offshore wind farm |
I was also struck by the government's initiatives to reduce energy consumption. By placing heavy taxes on energy usage, the government has forced its citizens to change their behaviors. I asked the presenter if there had been any resistance to these policies. She said no, that consumers could continue to maintain their energy usage, they just had to pay more. No big deal, but most Danes had become much more conscious of their consumption and cut back. I cannot imagine the same response in an American market. Sure we have increased "sin taxes" on items like cigarettes, challenging users to stop their behavior or pay up, but we have never tried to overtax necessities like electricity. I spoke to our bus driver later in the day about his thoughts on these government programs. He said he didn't really like the high taxes, but he understood the potential benefits and therefore was okay with increased rates. Despite the distinctively individualistic bent of the Danish people, I am impressed at the strong sense of shared responsibility.
Another interesting cultural note: we arrived late for the third straight appointed meeting, and I have been struck by the efficiency with which the Danes handle interactions. The response to our tardiness is "oh no problem, it's your time to use." No judgments, no annoyance, no anger. And they constantly note the time. "We've got this much more time/I can take two more questions." When the time is over, they are done. That's it, move on. While it feels a little cold or distant, I realize that it is not intended as such. I have studied how time-driven American culture is and I have encountered tension with several cultures that have a much more laid-back view of time, but I find it fascinating to interact with a people who are even more clock conscious than we are. As I understand it, though, the Danes are much more relaxed with their schedules when it comes to their family and personal lives.
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