Denmark: Government wants to quadruple solar and wind power

The Danish government has presented a proposal that Denmark should produce four times as much electricity from solar cells and onshore wind turbines in 2030 as today. As one of the several initiatives to realise the proposal, the government wants to remove a wind turbine ceiling from 2018. The ceiling means that in 2040, there can be a maximum of 1,850 onshore wind turbines in Denmark. In 2022, there are around 4,200 onshore wind turbines in Denmark. The number of onshore wind turbines would have to be reduced sharply towards 2040 if the current ceiling remained in place. The Danish Ministry of the Interior and Housing estimates that 13,700 hectares of land must be found for wind turbines to achieve the goal of quadrupling power from solar cells and wind turbines by 2030. For solar cells, 22,900 hectares of land must to be found. Another initiative the government has presented is that by 2030, the state must play a significantly more active role in the development of larger energy parks. The government will initiate a screening to identify 10-15 larger areas that are considered suitable for energy parks and can cover a significant part of the need for renewable energy development on land by 2030. The government also proposes to amend the Planning Act so that wind turbines or photovoltaic systems can be installed in manor landscapes, with the exception of protected landscapes.