'Denmark is a small, rich, very industrialized nation—it's home to corporate behemoths like Maersk and Lego—that also happens to an unparalleled pioneer in clean energy.
Earlier this year, the nation’s leadership announced that it planned to run its economy entirely on renewable power by 2050, and would phase out coal by 2030. Months later, the Danish government reported that wind was about to become far cheaper than fossil fuels. This week, it said it’d like to try to do even better, and kill coal in ten years, not fifteen.'
- Brian Merchant,
Denmark Plans to Be Coal-Free in 10 Years, Totally Clean-Powered in 35, October 30, 2014
'Wind power is officially the cheapest source of energy in Denmark, according to the nation's government—and by 2016, it claims the electricity whipped up by its newest turbines will be half the price of fossil fuels like coal and natural gas.
Denmark's Energy Association (everything about Scandinavia is friendlier, even its DEA) announced the news last week, and it's an achievement worth highlighting. Wind and solar are achieving grid parity with fossil fuels—that is, it's just as cheap—in many places around the world. Even without the tax breaks, declining manufacturing costs and growing scale have rendered wind power just as cheap as natural gas in many states right here in the gas-rich US. And at least one analyst determined that this is the "beginning of the grid parity era" for solar, worldwide.
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Importantly, the DEA's analysis "was not based on a full cost-benefit assessment of different technologies that included an assessment of environmental benefits, taxes or subsidies.” That is, the agency did not factor in the health and environmental costs of burning fossil fuels—which are considerable—and instead looked directly at the market forces in the country.'
- Brian Merchant,
In Two Years, Denmark's Wind Power Will Be Half the Cost of Fossil Fuels, July 30, 2014
'Germany is now producing 28.5 percent of its energy—nearly a third—with solar, wind, hydro, and biomass. In 2000, renewables accounted for just 6 percent of its power consumption.
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..Today's milestone is important because it's not a spike from an exceptionally windy or sunny day—which are rare in Germany—but routine, average generation.'
- Brian Merchant,
Nearly One Third of Germany Is Now Powered by Renewable Energy, July 29, 2014
Context'..to diversify their energy sources..' - '..strengthen their defences..'(Green Energy Mix) - Biofuel: '..a 10,000 acre Joule plant will produce a reserve value of 50 million barrels, equaling a medium-sized oil field.'