Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
also bears emphasizing that despite criticism that the tightening of subsides
to wind power producers undermined market conidence,
48
installed capacity
grew ivefold between 1986 and 1989.
In 1989, government policy continued to transition toward support for
wind farms over single turbines. he investment subsidy for wind turbines
that began in 1979 at 20%—and was reduced to 15% and 10% in 1986
and 1987 respectively—was eliminated altogether in 1989. his made the
pursuit of economies of scale a critical factor for wind power proitability.
However, there was also clear evidence that the government was aware that
concentrated development of wind turbines might undermine community
support for wind power. Consequently, regional plans began to emerge that
mandated standards clearly designed to minimize the social impact associ-
ated with larger wind power developments. Standards promoted the con-
struction of tubular wind turbine towers to replace lattice towers, which
were shown to adversely impact birdlife. Standards were also set to mini-
mize the adverse aesthetic impact of rotor blades by requiring them to be
coated with nonrelective paints and to rotate in a uniform clockwise pat-
tern. For wind farms, prescribed standards were published to govern size,
appearance and placement of turbines.
49
In 1990, with installed wind power capacity at 326 MW, the Ministry of
Energy published
Energy 2000
, which announced intentions to meet a goal
of 1500 MW of installed wind power capacity by 2005. his would equate to
10% of Denmark's projected electricity consumption.
50
In pursuit of this goal,
the government negotiated a second agreement with Denmark's utilities com-
pellingly utilities to build another 100 MW of wind power capacity over the
subsequent ive-year period.
51
his was despite the fact that utilities were still
striving to fulill the irst 100 MW target (which eventually would be met two
years later than planned, in 1992). As Table 4.3 illustrates, the 1500 MW target
would eventually be surpassed by 1999; however, meeting this goal would not
be without new challenges, necessitating new riposte strategies.
For starters, the government strategy of regulating cooperative investment
in wind turbines while encouraging utility-led wind farm projects engendered
an unanticipated degree of social dissonance. By 1990, community resistance
resulted in more than 10% of wind power project approvals being rescinded
after public appeals to the Ministry of Environment.
52
In fact, social opposition
was a key factor behind the two-year delay in utilities meeting the irst 100
MW wind power installation obligation.
53
In response, rather than reviving
policy to encourage further community-led wind power development, the gov-
ernment began to shift strategic sights to ofshore wind farm development,
culminating in the development of the world's irst ofshore wind farm, con-
sisting of eleven 450 kW turbines located near Vindeby.
54
