Renewables now cover more than 40% of (Denmark’s 2011) electricity consumption

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.ens.dk/en-us/info/news/news_archives/2012/sider/20120924renewablesnowcovermorethan40percent.aspx

[font face=Serif][font size=5]Renewables now cover more than 40% of electricity consumption[/font]
[font size=4]Large decrease in observed energy consumption and in greenhouse gas emissions in 2011, and consumption of renewable energy continues to grow. These are conclusions from Energy Statistics 2011, published by the Danish Energy Agency today[/font]

[font size=3]24 September 2012
Consumption of renewable energy increased in 2011 by 2.5% to 174 PJ in part as a result of a large increase in wind-power production. According to the EU method of calculation, renewable accounted for 23.6% of energy consumption in 2011, against 22.1% in 2010. At the same time electricity production based on renewable energy accounted for 40.7% of domestic electricity supply in 2011, of which wind power contributed 28.1%. These were just some of the statistics appearing in Energy Statistics 2011, which was published by the Danish Energy Agency today.

The February 2008 energy agreement included the goal that renewable energy was to cover at least 20% of adjusted gross energy consumption by 2011. This goal was met in that the percentage of renewable energy was actually 21.8% in 2011.

Falling energy consumption
Observed energy consumption dropped by 6.4% to 792 PJ in 2011 and was almost down to the 1990 level. The large decrease is because the weather was warmer in 2011 than in 2010, and there was a larger contribution from wind power. Furthermore, Denmark was a net importer of electricity in 2011 and therefore used less fuel at power plants.

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[OnlinePoker]

1. I'm confused by this article

The headline says 40% is renewable, but inside the article it says 21.8%. It says consumption dropped to 792PJ in 2011 and consumption of renewables was 174PJ.

[wtmusic]

3. It is confusing.

21.8% refers to all energy consumption - gas, fuel oil, etc. 40% is the percentage of domestic electricity consumption.

As usual, press releases mangle whatever data they try interpret to the point of near-uselessness. They say an English version of the report will be available soon, and that should present a clearer picture.

1. What are they including in energy production?
2. What's "observed" energy consumption?
3. "Denmark was a net importer of electricity in 2011 and therefore used less fuel at power plants." In consumption, are they not including electricity imported from French nuclear facilities?

Questions that need answers.

[limpyhobbler]

2. we should be doing this too. Instead of drilling all the time.

[NNadir]

4. I guess then their announcement of oil and gas drilling licenses in Greenland were "just kidding."

Greenland Licensing Round 2012/13

Well, a little drilling in the colonial outposts doesn't make that offshore oil and gas drilling hellhole at home look bad does it.

Actually Denmark has an Energy Agency Website, which contains an energy flow diagram that gives the real story of the oil and gas drilling hellhole which has one of the worst records in Europe for meeting its Kyoto commitments, as well as the highest energy prices in Europe.

It's here: Danish Energy Flow Diagram

See that tiny thin line at the top? That's the total output of dangerous Denmark's so called "renewable energy." 153 petajoules?

The average continuous power rating of this much energy amounts to about 5000 MW of power - although all this power, of course, requires redundant, (and thus expensive) and filthy dangerous natural gas plants to back them up.

Just 5 nuclear reactors in nearby Sweden produce in 5 relatively small buildings an equal amount of power - albeit reliable power with no requirement for gas back up - than all the wind crap strewn over the Danish territory.

But let's return the Danish Energy Agency's graphic.

See the big obscenely fat blue line at the bottom of the supply section, 523 petajoules? That's oil, drilled offshore, with new leases on the table not only in the Greenland colonial outpost, but in the local North Sea.

See the yellow line, 307 petajoules? That would be gas.

Denmark dumps all the waste from these largest enterprises directly into the planetary atmosphere, where it will help "dissolve" the Greenland glaciers and make them better to drill in, no doubt.

The Danes couldn't give a rat's ass about this waste, anymore than they give a rat's ass about the severe environmental dislocations at the Baotou lanthanide mines from which Vestas makes its "clean green" magnets for its "clean green" wind turbines.

So called renewable energy is an expensive failure everywhere it is practiced, and in 100% of the cases, it merely serves as a fig leaf for the oil and gas industry. It is always marketed with disingenuous and deliberately misleading "percent talk."

And if one really, really, really wants to know how that fig leaf for the oil and gas industry really works, all one needs to do is look at Denmark.

[hunter]

5. "Sleight," meaning dexterity or deceptiveness...

...comes from the Old Norse slœgð, meaning cleverness, cunning, slyness.

"Renewables now cover more than 40% of (Denmark’s 2011) electricity consumption"

From Wikipedia:

"Denmark and Sweden have been leaders in using the energy generated from incineration for more than a century, in localized combined heat and power facilities supporting district heating schemes."

I'm enjoying all the statistical sleights-of-hand here. I especially enjoy how Denmark's "green energy" manages to magically segregate itself on the electric grids and district heating systems so that most of it goes to households.

Please, tell me I'm wrong, but so far as I can tell, Denmark is powered by oil, natural gas. and coal. And yes NNadir is correct, all that "green" energy is little more than a "fig leaf."

[OKIsItJustMe]

6. Denmark’s Long-Term Plan

Last edited Thu Oct 4, 2012, 09:35 AM - Edit history (1)

http://www.kemin.dk/Documents/Presse/2012/Energiaftale/FAKTA%20UK%201.pdf

[font face=Serif][font size=5]DK Energy Agreement, March 22 2012[/font][font size=3]

• With the Energy Agreement of March 22, we have succeeded in obtaining broad political commitment to an ambitious green transition for Denmark that focuses on energy savings throughout society and promotes renewable energy in all sectors.
• This agreement implies a 12% reduction of gross energy consumption in 2020 in comparison to 2006; a share of 35% renewable energy in 2020; and 50% wind energy in Danish electricity consumption in 2020.
• The agreement is important for delivering on the political goal that Denmark’s entire energy supply (electricity, heating, industry and transport) is covered by renewable energy in 2050.
• …

…

A green and sustainable energy supply based on renewable energy
The agreement secures substantial expansion of wind power, corresponding to the annual consumption of 1 million households. Thus in 2020, wind power will account for approximately 50% of our electricity consumption compared to 25% today. The agreement implies:

• that 600 MW offshore wind turbines will be built at Kriegers Flak and 400 MW offshore wind turbines will be built at Horns Rev before 2020.
• that a further 500 MW offshore wind turbines will be installed near the coast before 2020.
• new planning tools will encourage development of onshore wind turbines with a total capacity of 1,800 MW up until 2020. This will entail that the electricity production from onshore turbines will increase despite the de-commissioning of older turbines.
• that subsidies for wind turbines are reduced by introducing a cap on high electricity prices in order to prevent over-compensation,
• that over a period of four years, a total of DKK 100 million will be committed to funding development and use of new renewable energy technologies for electricity production (solar, waves, etc.) as well as DKK 25 million for wave power demonstration facilities.

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