Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
three times greater than the prices found in neighboring Sweden.
115
his
was largely because of the dominant role of high-priced oil in Denmark's
electricity mix. Succinctly put, the economic case that is typically used to
oppose wind power was severely undermined in Denmark by an overdepen-
dence on oil during a period of capricious oil prices.
As Denmark's wind power capacity expanded, the number of investors in
wind power projects and the employment attributed to wind power manu-
facturing increased substantially, and this also strengthened the economic
appeal of wind power. As opposed to oil imports, where industry proits
went to foreign suppliers, Danish businesses and the general public were
beginning to reap investment returns from the growing wind power sector.
his indirect economic payback associated with wind power enhanced its
economic appeal and ofset the comparably higher electricity costs.
4.5.3 Technological
→
Political
he economic promise of wind power was also underpinned by a technologi-
cal attribute. he government recognized that the nation possessed some
core technological competencies to justify earmarking wind turbine manu-
facturing as a desirable activity within the nation's economic development
strategy.
116
At the outset, most wind turbine developers were machine-shop
type irms with experience in producing agricultural equipment;
117
however,
policy was necessary to provide these small entrepreneurs with the techno-
logical support needed to evolve. he governmental response was the cre-
ation of a tight network for wind power innovation that involved industry,
academia, and government sponsored think tanks.
118
his centralization of
research helped ledgling wind turbine manufacturers to learn by interact-
ing, which over time yielded cost improvements.
119
In addition to providing centralized support for research, the government
also centralized quality control by establishing a turbine quality certiication
scheme at Risø National Laboratories. Only turbines that were certiied by
this scheme were eligible for government subsidies. his created a virtuous
circle wherein manufacturers were increasingly pushed to elevate standards,
while at the same time, were also exposed to best practice through the govern-
ment's research support programs. hese two factors—access to technologi-
cal research and centralized quality control—were recognized as fundamental
drivers of success for Denmark's wind turbine manufacturers in California
during the heyday of wind power expansion. America's wind turbine man-
ufacturers, which were focusing on technological shock and awe, could not
compete with the reliability of Denmark's wind power systems.
