Experiences with wind energy development, planning and public acceptance in Denmark

1. Experiences with wind energy development, planning and public acceptance in Denmark Bernd Möller, Ph.D. Sustainable Energy Planning & Management Group Department of Development and Planning Aalborg University, Denmark

2. History of wind energy development PJ About 5,300 turbines produce 20 % of the national electricity demand. Decommissioning of ageing turbines currently decreases production. Data source: Danish Energy Authority, 2008

3. Elements of Danish wind energy policy • Long term national energy plans • Fixed feed-in tariff system • Promotion of local ownership, cooperatives • Spatial planning on local and regional levels • Fostering of new technologies

4. Problems associated to wind energy in DK • Most land-based locations occupied or unsuitable • Planning requirements are tightened • Increasing turbine size aggravates visibility problem • Growing local resistance against wind power projects • Structural changes (tariffs, ownership etc) • New legislation to compensate for loss of property value

5. Chances for future wind energy • Offshore: yes, but at high costs and risks • 3 West coast municipalities may show the way • Re-invention of re-powering schemes • Rejuvenated interest in local and cooperate ownership, even off shore • Continued build of mid-range turbines (2MW) economically and socially feasible • Municipal ownership an overseen chance.

6. Thy: Energy and nature • Very rural • Site of first national park • 240 turbines cover 70% of demand • The region is almost CO2 neutral (excl. transport) • Local owners; income and acceptance • Wind energy is part of tourism promotion. Data sources: Danish Energy Authority; KMS; MIM, all 2008

7. Wind energy and landscapes • Connotation with the environment / being green • Iconic for sustainable development • Valuable landscapes deemed unsuitable for visibility reasons • On a local scale neighbours play a certain role (NIMBY) • Visibility assessment is mandatory, yet not on a regional scale

8. Increasing size Bubble area proportional to number of turbines Average total height [m] Year of installation Data source: Danish Energy Authority, 2008

9. The advantage of upscaling(EWEA, 2006)

10. Ownership Utilities Individuals Number of turbines Cooperatives Cooperative ownership involves local people economically and hence improves local acceptance. The good experiences with neighbour ownership point towards commonly managed wind resources as a good solution. Data source: EMD International, 2007

11. Distributed investments Investments in wind energy are well distributed in the country and not necessarily in rural areas alone, which is positive for social acceptance in population. Statistics on a 10 x 10 km grid. Data sources: EMD.dk and Statistics Denmark

12. Wind energy planning in Denmark • In the early days permissions to erect turbines were given without much regulation and with no common planning framework. • Since 1995 a nation-wide planning framework has been established. • Municipalities have the planning authority for new wind turbines. • Turbines are located in favourable wind regimes, but only where little impact on neighbours can be expected. • A thorough planning process looks into all aspects of location in a democratic way. • A mandatory EIA follows, concluded by a local plan. (Wind power planning zones around Aalborg, AIS)

13. Dynamic wind energy landscapes • The visual impact of wind turbines as landscape elements has to be seen dynamically • Turbines grow in size, rotational speed decreases • Turbines are erected in changing patterns • Spatial planning is adjusted to development • Public planning also has a learning curve! • Cautiously expressed, people may get used to turbines in landscapes.

14. 1985: 774 turbines 44 MW 0.2 % of power production 1990: 2,570 turbines 317 MW 2 % of power production 1995: 3,553 turbines 589 MW 4 % of power production 2005: 5,286 turbines 3,127 MW 20% of power production 2000: 6,236 turbines 2,389 MW 13 % of power production Wind energy development in Denmark through the times Data source: Danish Energy Authority, 2007

15. Spatial analyses of wind energy economy and the environment • Temporal cumulative viewshed analysis of wind turbines • Intervisibility analysis of landscape openness. • Wind energy production and its spatial distribution • The costs to society (socio-economic costs) of utilising the wind resource • Turbine ownership and proximity • A combination of wind power production, wind power economy and environmental impact is carried out on a regional / national scale.

16. The study area Data sources: EEA, 2005; KMS, 2007

17. Visibility during times Data sources: KMS, 2007; Danish Energy Authority, 2008

18. Intervisibility to model landscape openness How much of a landscape can be seen from everywhere else? Visual landscape openness may assist regional planning. Data sources: KMS, 2007; Danish Energy Authority, 2008

19. Intervisibility and wind energy economy Relative turbine visibility Production costs low low high high The best locations for wind energy are not necessarily the most visible. Data sources: KMS, 2007; EMD International, 2001

20. Intervisibility and proximity Weighted proximity Relative turbine visibility low low high high Most wind turbines are located in areas with moderate visibility; few large utility-owned parks have a high cumulative weighted impact. Data sources: KMS, 2007; Danish Energy Authority, 2008

21. Conclusions • Wind energy landscapes are dynamic – turbine development and their lifespan included • Technology development must not accelerate more than public view on landscapes • Local involvement in planning as well as economically by local ownership is crucial to create acceptance • The economy must be right: • feed-in tariffs for low risk investments • cooperative or public ownership for low interest rate • geographical spreading of investments for better acceptance and lower system costs. • The dilemma of scale economies and scale impact must be dealt with.

22. Please visit www.energyplanning.aau.dk for information on the international M.Sc. Programme Sustainable Energy Planning & Management and www.unigeo.dk for information on the Geography Programme at Aalborg University, Denmark