Renewable Energy Foundation

In a press statement released on the 17th of September, Lars Christian Lilleholt, energy and environment spokesman for Venstre pointed out the very heavy burden now placed on consumers to support wind power, and announced the intention of putting a cap on this in order to concentrate on other technologies.

The change of emphasis comes after a year of increasing concern over the value for money offered by the Danish wind project. In May the Renewable Energy Foundation (REF) published a major study of the Danish and German spot price markets for electricity which noted that wind power was now beginning to place real strains on those systems.

The author of the study, one of Denmark's most respected engineers and a onetime Planning Director for the Danish grid, Mr Paul-Frederik Bach, pointed out that wind was posing problems without obvious or easily costed solutions. (See http://www.ref.org.uk/PublicationDetails/53)

Then in August the Danish think tank CEPOS published a study revealing that the majority of Danish wind power was being exported at below subsidy prices, with a net economic loss to the Danish consumer. (See http://www.cepos.dk/)

Dr John Constable, Director of Policy and Research for The Renewable Energy Foundation said: "The Danish experiment with wind power is producing results of great importance for the UK, and nothing could be more important than the fact that subsidy for wind has caused an over concentration on this one technology, just as it has in the UK. A change is long overdue here as it is in Denmark."

For further information please contact Margareta Stanley on 020 7930 3636 or 07968 049 832, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it