Denmark Reaches 2020 Goal for Solar Energy 8 Years in Advance

September 24th, 2012 by Nicholas Brown



Denmark has already reached its 2020 goal of 200 MW solar power generation capacity. This was largely attributed to net metering, which is a more economical and simple way to utilize solar energy than an off-grid setup that relies on expensive batteries that need replacement.

Why the Demand for Solar PV Panels in Denmark Exploded

Regarding reaching this milestone so early, Kim Schultz, the project manager of Invest in Denmark, said:

“The demand for solar cells has increased dramatically since net metering was implemented in 2010. Net metering gives private households and public institutions the possibility of ‘storing’ surplus production in the public grid, which makes solar panels considerably more attractive.”







“Denmark benefits from a strong design tradition and this also characterizes the Danish solar sector in which aesthetics and thinking ahead of user needs is a central part of product development. This means that solar solutions are more likely to meet consumers’ demands.

“Last but not least, Denmark has a unique energy system with a very high share of renewable energy. This makes the energy system very suitable as a platform for Smart Grid technologies, which are a key element to fully exploit renewable energy sources like solar panels and wind energy.”

Denmark has a much larger wind energy target set for 2020 — to obtain 50% of its electricity from the wind. Denmark has also been a world leader in low-cost green transportation — in particular, regarding bicycles. Copenhagen (Denmark) and Amsterdam (in the Netherlands, of course) are well known as the best large cities in the world for bicycling.

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark











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