China: Denmark engages in the green energy transformation in Northeast China

Press Release by the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Building

Three energy projects with inspiration from Denmark demonstrate how energy sources such as wind and biomass can be integrated efficiently into the Chinese electrical system in Northeast China.

From January 6 till January 10 the Danish minister for Climate, Energy and Building is on a visit to China accompanying members of the Danish parliament on a study tour to inspect the projects and to meet with officials from China’s government.

China is the world’s biggest energy consumer and much of this energy is produced from burning coal. One of the side effects of the massive coal use is that it creates major environmental challenges. These challenges are now more visible in China than ever. This is acknowledged in China who sees great possibilities in renewable energy as a way of reducing air pollution, to secure energy independence and reduce coal emissions. China is currently the largest wind market in the world and accounts for 26% of the global wind market.

“Denmark has decades of experience when it comes to energy technology and knowledge about greening our energy system. This kind of knowledge is in demand in China and we are proud to cooperate with the Chinese on these issues. Cooperation with China will benefit both the global climate and  Danish green tech industries”says Mr Martin Lidegaard, Danish minister for Climate, Energy and Building.

However the expansion of wind turbine capacity in the Chinese energy system also comes with many challenges. The power system is facing difficulties coping with the integration of the substantial amounts of wind power which are produced in China today. In 2012 one fifth of the Chinese wind production was lost amounting to more than half of annual energy use in Denmark.

Danish experiences in optimizing the integration of renewable energy into the power grid provide the basis for the three energy projects in Northeast China. The Danish Energy Agency assists the China National Renewable Energy Centre in Beijing, an agency linked to the National Energy Administration, and which has received financial support from Denmark.

“The Chinese have shown a great deal of interest in the way we are greening our energy system which means that we have had the opportunity to establish Denmark as a trusted partner of the Chinese government. Denmark is in a position to inspire China in her solutions to lower resource consumption and thus reduce the impact of the global climate” says Mr. Martin Lidegaard, Danish Minister for Climate, Energy, and Building.

Danish companies also play a key part in delivering green technological solutions to China’s green transition e.g. within wind energy, energy efficient building, district heating and counselling. A recent example are the two Danish companies, COWI and Danfoss, who have engaged in one of the largest  commercial Sino-Danish district heating projects in China. The project, which the minister and the members of the Danish parliament will inspect during their visit, taps waste heat which would normally be lost from the Anshan Steelworks, Chinas largest, into the district heating system of the city. This reduces the amount of coal that needs to be burned for district heating and cuts emission of carbon dioxide by 240.000 tons per year. As an extra benefit, Anshan will also enjoy markedly cleaner air.

Danish-Chinese cooperation on energy

Anton Beck
Kontorchef
Center for Global Rådgivning og Forhandling
Tlf.: 29 62 39 96
anb@ens.dk