Denmark has a problem with their wind turbines. Apparently its generating too much power from wind.
Right now, they are generating about 20% of their total electricity from wind power and on windy days that percentage can double which has placed some strain on the electricity grid due to extreme fluctuations. In western Denmark, the price of electricity can sometimes drop to 0 on a windy day which leaves utilities trying to find ways to offload the excess power. What a “good” problem to have!
To come to the rescue, the Danish utility company Dong Energy has an ingenious plan to build a nationwide system to charge electric cars with the surplus wind power. They are partnering with the start-up company, Project Better Place and plan to build the infrastructure to support the countrywide electric car system by 2010. Charging spot and battery-exchange services would be located across the country.
The Danish government plans to raise its share of electricity from renewable powers to 30 percent by 2025. In addition, Denmark is looking to built stronger connections with nearby countries like Norway, Sweden and Germany to sell excess “cheap” electricity on windy days.
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That’s a truly ‘big’ problem??? There are so many ways of getting rid of extra electricity in Europe by using it.
Storing energy in the form of hydrogen is just one of the ways. Pumping water uphill for further use its kinetic energy is the second (maybe, not so much useful in Denmark). Heating the ground ‘collectors’ under residential area for further use by heat pumps. and much more
They could even surprise some neighboring countries by cheap export.
Sure beats the h*ll out of being hi-jacked by the oil barons every time you get ahead by a buck or two!
I agree!
Buckminster Fuller predicted that power would cross national and even continental boundaries so that peak production in one area could sustain peak use in other areas.
Looks like he was likely right again.
Haha! Denmark! Hills!
The highest mountain in Denmark is not even as tall as the Eiffel Tower!
Ha!
What a great “problem” to have! I hope that we can someday approach that same level of energy consciousness (and take appropriate action) here in the USA.
What a great Idea with the electric cars !! In the UK people fight tooth and nail to remove the wind turbines ? beats me.
You know who is afraid, don’t you? The power companies… I read a couple of success stories, one in USA and one in Japan, where entire towns, albeit smallish with 1,300 people in one case, are running 100% on wind power.
Sure, they will find a way to separate out and use the extra power. What a problem to have!
I bet most of the world could do what they have done. And we have not directly mentioned solar heating and photovoltaics. Project: get the government folks 1) to learn the truth about renewable energy, and 2) care more about society than lining their pockets with campaign funds (in many case unfortunately they never get to step 2, as most have not risen to pay attention to environment issues).
This is a great problem to have but remember, Denmark is a bit smaller than the U.S. 16,630 square miles VS. 3,790,000. A difference of 200:1! We should still try for a similar solution but when it comes to transmitting power over distance, size matters. Our solution(s) will likely have to be more regional. We also have a somewhat weaker central gov. so national change is harder to accomplish here.
Compressing air might work,although underground salt mines,aquifers,etc are the most common way of doing this-not sure if Denmark has these resources.Maybe banks of steel tanks might be worth considering.
They want to have a system in place to recharge electric cars by 2010? I don’t think that America will have electric cars by then! Go Denmark!
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