Networks of Wind Energy Enthusiasts and the Development of the “Danish Concept” - Wind Power for the World: The Rise of Modern Wind Energy - page 127

production, the machine would run for more than 10 years without
a major failure and thus would serve as an example of wind energy
technology that produced a significant amount of energy both
reliably and safely. In general, the line from la Cour to Juul laid a
foundation of knowledge that would form the basis for the post oil-
crisis movement to establish Danish energy independence through
wind energy.

Figure 5.9 Johannes Juul (1887-1969) (left); The Gedser wind turbine

(right).

The Founding of NIVE and Its Early Activities 9 5.3.1

Just as with the rest of the industrialised world, Denmark
experienced a crisis in response to the OPEC oil embargo of 1973
and again in 1979. However, Denmark, which relied on oil for 92%
of its energy consumption and possessed few indigenous fuel
resources, perhaps sufered even more greatly than other nations.
The crisis that began in 1973 led directly to the formation of a
small network of actors in Western Jutland of Denmark who were
motivated to find alternative energy sources for electricity and
heating. Preben Maegaard, one of the central actors in the Danish
wind movement, describes how the crisis catalysed the formation
of that actor-network:

9

This work again focuses on a few key actor-networks within the history of
Danish wind energy development and the “Danish concept”. Other key networks
deserve mention and their histories are included in other chapters. See History

of Danish Wind Power by Benny Christensen and From Energy Crisis to Industrial

Adventure: A Chronicle by Preben Maegaard.