Denmark's Wind Power Experience

Over the last eight years West Denmark has exported (couldn't use), on average, 57% of the wind power it generated and East Denmark an average of 45%....The wind power that is exported from Denmark saves neither fossil fuel consumption nor CO2 emissions in Denmark, where it is all paid for. By necessity, wind power exported to Norway and Sweden supplants largely carbon neutral electricity in the Nordic countries. No coal is used nor are there power-related CO2 emissions in Sweden and Norway.

Wind energy has replaced some thermal generation in Denmark. It has saved an average emission of about 2.4 million tonnes per year CO2 at a total subsidy cost of ... $124 per ton of CO2. Wind power has proven to be an expensive way to save CO2 emissions.

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...wind power's one striking advantage is that, like nuclear, its marginal costs of operation are very small once the capital [to build it] has been paid. However, unlike nuclear, many ten to fifteen year-old turbines are past their useful life. By contrast, most conventional rotating power plants can enjoy a working life of 40 to 60 years, as evidenced by most power plants in Europe today. This puts into question the strategic, economic and environmental benefits of a power plant that may have to be scrapped, replaced and re-subsidized every ten to fifteen years.

...in 2025 50% of Denmark's electricity demand must come from renewable resources, mostly wind power. The Ecogrid Study Group has concluded that if the extra wind power is to achieve this aim, drastic re-engineering of the whole energy system will need to take place, including the retirement of much expensive, high quality, existing capacity.

On employment benefits of the subsidized wind industry in Denmark, the study concludes:

Substantial subsidies have been directed to the Danish wind mill industry over years....The Danish Wind Industry counts 28,400 employees....the effect of the government subsidy has been to shift employment from more productive employment in other sectors to les productive employment in the wind industry. As a consequence, Danish GDP is approximately... $270 million lower that it would have been if the wind sector work force was employed elsewhere.