Energy Independence: How Denmark Kicked Its Foreign Oil Habit
In 1976 the Danish public got behind an ambitious (and expensive) program to become entirely energy-independent, and, with the development of new, clean energy systems, to get out of the foreign oil business completely. Some of the steps taken:• Strict energy-efficiency standards were placed on all buildings.
• Gas and automobiles were heavily taxed (Today new cars are taxed at more than 105% of the cost of the car.) • “District heating systems” were implemented throughout the country, reusing normally wasted heat produced by power plants by piping it directly into homes. Today more than 60% of Danish homes are heated this way.
• The government invested heavily in clean and renewable energy systems, especially wind power. Today 21% of Denmark’s energy production comes from wind farms. On top of that, they lead the world in wind-power technology - another product to export. The industry has created more than 20,000 jobs.
• Rebate campaigns helped people buy more energy-efficient - and therefore more expensive - home appliances. Today more than 95% of new appliances bought in Denmark have an “A” efficiency rating. (“A” is the best; “G” is the worst.)
• They started drilling for - and finding - more oil and natural gas within their own waters in the North Sea. (Showing that no plan is perfect, these efforts have long been opposed by environmentalists.)
• In 2005 the government committed $1 billion to develop and integrate better solar, tidal, and fuel-cell technology.