Ello se refleja también las exportaciones, con un crecimiento de un 20% en 2008 respecto a los 4.700 millones correspondientes al año anterior.
La facturación bruta del sector eólico danés en 2008 creció un 29%, hasta alcanzar los 11.400 millones de euros, un salto importante respecto a los 8.800 millones de 2007.
En términos de empleo, el éxito es equivalente: su número aumentó en un 20%, pasando de 23.500 en 2007 a 28.400 en 2008. No obstante, y debido a la crisis financiera, la patronal eólica DWEA prevé que esta cifra descienda a 26.000 empleados a mediados de 2009, por esa crisis tan profunda y generalizada que padecemos desde hace un año.
Las empresas eólicas representan el 7,2% de las exportaciones de Dinamarca, según Jan Hylleberg, consejero delegado de la Danish Wind Industry Association, DWEA.
Dinamarca, pionera en eólica marina
El primer parque eólico marino, compuesto por 11 aerogeneradores, se construyó en Dinamarca en 1991 en el mar Báltico y, en 2002, tras la puesta en marcha de varios parques con distinta potencia, se inauguró el parque de Horns Rev, el más grande del mundo con 80 aerogeneradores y con una potencia instalada de 160 MW.
La experiencia de la eólica marina en Dinamarca ha requerido una importante inversión económica, pero la producción de electricidad es más estable y un 20% superior a la energía eólica terrestre. Además, la vida útil del parque, con un buen mantenimiento, puede llegar a duplicarse.
En la actualidad el 50% del consumo eléctrico doméstico danés proviene de la eólica. La energía eólica procedente del mar podría cubrir hasta el 75% de la demanda energética de Dinamarca, según recoge un Informe llevado a cabo por el Ministerio de Transporte y Energía danés.
En palabras del ministro de Energía de Dinamarca, Flemmin Hansen, "los parques eólicos marinos representan el futuro de la energía eólica" y, aunque estas instalaciones son más caras que los parques terrestres, "deberían tener prioridad" según Hansen, debido a su menor impacto visual.
En la actualidad, Dinamarca cuenta con un litoral de 7.000 kilómetros donde existen fuertes vientos nórdicos. Sin embargo, según demuestran los resultados de un grupo de trabajo encargado de analizar la potencialidad del recurso, sólo existen 23 emplazamientos idóneos que puedan compatibilizar recursos eólicos con viabilidad técnica y económica.
En este sentido, Hansen reclamó la óptima explotación de estos 23 emplazamientos agrupados en siete zonas de las costas danesas ya que, según afirmó el ministro al periódico local ‘Copenhaguen Post’, "el Informe demuestra que el potencial eólico marino es enorme y cuantos más generadores podamos colocar en el mar, menos necesitaremos en tierra".
Potencia eólica instalada en Dinamarca
1996-726 MW
1997-968 MW
1998-1.216 MW
1999-2.241 MW
2000-2.140 MW
2001-2.489 MW
2002-2.892 MW
2003-3.117 MW
2004-3.125 MW
2005-3.129 MW
2006-3.136 MW
2007-3.125 MW
2008-3.189 MW
Better Place y DONG Energy colaborarán para ofrecer coches eléctricos asequibles en Dinamarca
Las empresas Project Better Place y DONG Energy han firmado un principio de acuerdo para trabajar de forma conjunta en el desarrollo de un proyecto para ofrecer en Dinamarca vehículos eléctricos con unos precios asequibles, informaron ambas compañías.
Tanto Better Place como DONG Energy resaltaron que esta iniciativa se enmarca dentro de sus estrategias orientadas a reducir las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero de los automóviles a nivel global y concretamente en Dinamarca. El coche eléctrico abastecido con eólica jugará un papel clave.
De esta manera, Better Place Dinamarca ofrecerá, en los próximos años, automóviles eléctricos equipados con baterías respetuosas con el medio ambiente, que ofrecen el mismo comportamiento en carretera que los vehículos de combustión, pero sin emisiones de CO2.
La industria eólica danesa es pionera mundial del sector. En el 2008 un 20% de la energía eléctrica en Dinamarca provino de la eólica, más que ningún otro país en el mundo. Pero el viento es un recurso que no se puede regular, así que el sistema eléctrico danés tiene que ser gestionado para poder acomodar la producción de los aerogeneradores. Y aquí es donde el vehículo eléctrico entra en escena.
Cuando el consumo de electricidad en Dinamarca es muy bajo y hay mucho viento, la red debe exportar esa energía, y venden muy barata esa electricidad a sus vecinos. En algunas ocasiones la han llegado a regalar. Si Dinamarca incorpora un número suficiente de estaciones de recarga de baterías para coches eléctricos, pueden utilizarlas para almacenar la energía excedente durante esas situaciones. Eólica y vehículos eléctricos forman una muy buena combinación.
Por ese motivo Dong, una empresa pública, está apostando por este programa. El gobierno danés también ayuda: los automóviles eléctricos están libres de impuestos. Los coches normales, sin embargo, tienen los precios más caros de toda Europa.
La experiencia danesa sigue siendo un ejemplo, y tiene mucho que enseñar a países como España. Frente a tanto indocumentado que se opone a la eólica marina, como en Cádiz, hay que hacer lo contrario: aprovechar nuestros recursos eólicos, mantener las primas y seguir desarrollando una industria que crea empleos, tejido industrial, y reduce el impacto ambiental.
Hoy unos grupúsculos se pronuncian, una vez más, contra la energía eólica, por razones "ambientales". Por supuesto que su discurso simplista y demagógico, sólo hace el juego a la ultraderecha conservadora del Instituto ese al que tanta cancha dan los medios de prensa ultraconservadores, lanzada a una campaña contra las energías renovables porque son "caras", obviando el coste de las externalidades ambientales.
Ese tipo de ecologismo reaccionario nos conduce a impedir cualquier alternativa real al cambio climático, a los residuos radiactivos y a la proliferación nuclear. Seguro que prefieren a Corea del Norte o Irán, pues nadie en su sano juicio puede pensar que la población va a renunciar al consumo eléctrico, al bienestar y a la movilidad individual, y menos ellos, que van en en todo terrenos a sus excursiones campestres.
La eólica, con el automóvil eléctrico, como proponemos en REVE, es la solución estratégica. Lo otro es el callejón sin salida.
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The Danish wind industry had a 5.7 billion Euros export in 2008
The Danish Wind Industry Association has just published the annual industry statistics for 2008 which show that the industry last year had a 5.7 billion Euros export of wind technology and had 28,400 employed in the sector at the end of 2008. Thus 2008 was again a record year for the wind industry and it is now among the biggest export industries in Denmark.
In a world battling both a climate and financial crisis, the wind industry can both lead the renewable energy technologies in becoming key drivers to revitalize the global economy and help to reduce global warming.
Growth Boom
– 2008 was a good year for the industry and we are very happy and proud of the fine result which shows that the wind industry had a total export of 5.7 billion Euros, says Jan Hylleberg, CEO of the Danish Wind Industry Association.
The wind industry’s high export figures correspond to a growth of approx. 20 pct. compared to 2007, where the industry exported a total of 4.7 billion Euros of Danish wind turbine technology abroad. This means that the wind power industry exports amounted to 7.2 pct. of the total Danish exports in 2008.
– 2008 was a very good year for Danish energy technology export particularly the products from the wind industry which accounted for more than 70 pct. of the total Danish energy technology export, notes Jan Hylleberg and continues:
– It is particularly derived from the fact that Danish suppliers are increasingly exporting components and services to foreign producers. The Danish producers have been global for years. Now the Danish suppliers follow suit and it is a trend I think we will continue to see.
The Danish lead
The Danish wind turbine industry is the world’s wind hub and the center for wind energy knowhow. But if this position and the resulting high export must be maintained, there are two main challenges that must be met.
– The wind industry has an urgent need to test and demonstrate its technology in Denmark. It is therefore crucial for the industry’s future, that there are the right places for testing prototypes and enough of them very soon, says Jan Hylleberg and adds:
– We also hope that there will soon be a renewed long term political focus when it comes to planning for renewable energy towards 2020. We need the support for the Danish development of wind power to be reconfirmed and translated into specific planning so that our industry again can show the newest and best technologies on Danish soil as an integral and effective part of the Danish energy supply, and last but not least, wind turbines are essential in order for Denmark to realize its EU renewable energy targets.
The wind industry statistics show that by the end of 2008 there were more than 28,400 employees in the wind industry. In 2007, 23,500 were employed in the industry and thus employment in the industry has increased 20.9 percent.
The global financial crisis and a lower than expected market growth; however, has meant that the industry has been forced to adjust production capacity in Denmark and therefore reduce the number of employees. The Danish Wind Industry Association therefore estimates that there will be approx. 26,000 employees in the industry at the end of the second quarter 2009.
– We hope and believe that the Danish wind industry at present has made the necessary adjustments to the number of employees, however if the market will not recover again soon, it might be necessary to adapt the work force even more" Jan Hylleberg concludes.
* Turnover: National turnover rose to 7.2 billion Euros in 2008 against 5.7 billion Euros in 2007. Increase of nearly 1.5 billion Euros or 26 percent.
* Turnover: Global sales rose to 11.4 billion Euros in 2008 against 8.8 billion Euros in 2007. Increase of 2.6 billion Euros or 29 percent.
* Export: Exports rose to 5.7 billion Euros in 2008 against 4.7 billion Euros in 2007. Increase of 1 billion Euros or 20 percent.
* Employment: Employment rose to 28,400 employees by the end of 2008 from 23,500 employees in 2007. Increase of 4,900 employees or 20.9 percent.
* Employment today: about 26,000 by the end of the second quarter 2009. Increase of 2,500 employees compared to 2007 or about 11 percent.
Wind power in Denmark
Wind power provided 19.7 percent of electricity production and 24.1% of capacity in Denmark in 2007, a significantly higher proportion than in any other country. Denmark was a pioneer in developing commercial wind power during the 1970s, and today almost half of the wind turbines around the world are produced by Danish manufacturers such as Vestas.
As concerns over global warming grew in the 1980s, Denmark found itself with relatively high carbon dioxide emissions per capita, primarily due to the coal-fired electrical power plants that had become the norm after the 1973 and 1979 energy crises of the 1970s. Renewable energy became the natural choice for Denmark, decreasing both dependence on other countries for energy and global warming pollution. Denmark adopted a target of cutting carbon emissions by 22% from 1988 levels by 2005.
In 1988, two years after the Chernobyl disaster, the Danes passed a law forbidding the construction of nuclear power plants. In the process the Danish grassroot movement had a substantial role. The Danish Anti-nuclear Movement’s (OOA) logo the "Smiling Sun, No Thanks" spread world wide, and the renewable alternatives were promoted by the Danish Organisation for Renewable Energy (OVE).
Denmark has relatively modest average wind speeds in the range of 4.9 to 5.6 metres per second measured at 10 m height. Onshore wind resources are highest in the Western part of the country, and on the Eastern islands with coastlines facing South or West.
The country has very large offshore wind resources, and large areas of sea territory with a shallow water depth of 5 to 15 m, where siting is most feasible. These sites offer higher wind speeds, in the range of roughly 8.5 to 9 m/s at 50 m height.
There have been no major problems from wind variability, although there is a temporary problem resulting from the connection of a large bloc of wind power from offshore wind farms to a single point on a weak section of the transmission network.
Denmark is connected by transmission line to other European countries and therefore it does not need to install additional peak-load plant to balance its wind power. Instead, it purchases additional power from its neighbours when necessary. With some strengthening of the grid, Denmark plans to increase wind’s share even further.
Electric vehicle charging
A deal has been announced in 2008 between Project Better Place (Palo Alto, US) and Danish utility Dong Energy that will lead to mass production of electric vehicles and implementation of an extensive recharging and battery swap infrastructure. This will act as storage capacity for the country’s wind power generation capability.
"Two million electric cars in circulation … would provide a standby capacity around five times the size of Denmark’s needs … with smart charging systems charging batteries when the power’s plentiful, and even feeding power back into the grid when necessary".
Capacities and production
In 2005, Denmark had installed wind capacity of 3,129 MW, which produced 23,810 TJ of energy. Wind power provided 18.2% of the total gross electricity production. In 2006, the installed capacity increased to 3,136 MW.
While wind power accounts for almost 20% of the power generated in Denmark, it covers only 10–14% of the country’s demand. Power in excess of immediate demand is exported to Germany, Norway, and Sweden. The latter two have considerable hydropower resources, which can rapidly reduce their generation whenever wind farms are generating surplus power, saving water for later. In effect, this is a cheap way for northern Europe to store wind power until it is needed — an opportunity which is not generally available for wind power generators.
Wind turbine industry
The Danish wind turbine industry is the world’s largest. Around 90 percent of the national output is exported, and Danish companies accounted for 38% of the world turbine market in 2003, when the industry employed some 20,000 people and had a turnover of around 3 billion euro. The biggest wind turbine manufacturers with production facilities in Denmark are Vestas and Siemens.
The development of wind power in Denmark has been characterized by a close collaboration between publicly financed research and industry in key areas such as research and development, certification, testing, and the preparation of standards. For example, in the 1980s, a large number of small Danish companies were developing wind turbines to sell to California, and the Danish Risø laboratory provided test facilities and certification procedures. These resulted in reliable products and the rapid expansion of the Danish turbine manufacturing industry.
www.windpower.org/composite-2287.htm
www.minem.gob.pe/archivos/dge/publicaciones/uso/1/01/02/08/es/tour/wres/dkmap.htm
