Opinion piece by Christine Nellemann, Dean of Sustainability, Diversity and International Cooperation at DTU. Published in Frederiksborg Amts Avis 19.11.2024.
Recently, you could read on sn.dk that Vordingborg Municipality’s plans to build a large-scale energy plant on Møn have been shelved. The low-lying soils on which wind turbines and solar cells were to have been constructed should instead be used for nature restoration, finds the Danish Society for Nature Conservation.
This point is understandable, because, according to the Danish Society for Nature Conservation, nature restoration of low-lying soils ensures capture of CO2 and nitrogen and increases biodiversity.
At the same time, balancing an incredible number of considerations often contributes to tripping up the implementation of renewable energy. This delays the green transition and sends a wrong signal to world leaders at the annual climate summit, COP29, which is being held at the moment.
When considerations for nature, people, and the environment are to be taken into account, the question is often which consideration should weigh the most?
Recently, at the national congress of the Denmark Democrats, party leader Inger Støjberg presented the view that the Government’s state energy parks should not be realized at all. Because the Denmark Democrats say: “no to iron fields, yes to grain fields.”
The complexity of implementing new, renewable energy exposes a paradox that Denmark faces when it comes to the green transition: The vast majority of Danes believe that the green transition is important. However, according to an analysis made by Norstat for Andel, 1 in 7 Danes are not willing to accept the erection of wind turbines in their own municipality if they impact nature or obstruct their view.
The consequence is that we are transitioning much more slowly than needed.
Climate turn requires counter-pressure
During the US election campaign, Trump announced that, as president, he would withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement and invest heavily in fossil energy sources such as oil and coal.
For good reasons, we do not yet know whether he is serious about this. But, in itself, the rhetorical climate turn highlights that we must not hesitate for a second. Instead, we must put a massive, green counter-pressure on all the countries in the world that continue undeterred to invest in fossil energy.
Fortunately, Denmark has a special position of strength when it comes to innovation and research in renewable energy. At DTU, we have some of the world's leading researchers in this field, and we are engaged in partnerships across public authorities and the business sector with large green companies such as Haldor Topsøe, Ørsted, Siemens Gamesa, and Vestas. We want to collaborate with even more companies – both large and small.
These partnerships across the value chain enable us to move faster from idea stage to development, from production to scale-up.
At the same time, there are great political ambitions for us to move faster on the green transition. The ambition is that, with energy islands, new offshore wind farms, and the construction of onshore energy parks, Denmark will be able to supply not just ourselves, but also large parts of Europe, with renewable energy.
But... When it comes to the actual implementation of these grand plans, hesitation creeps in.
Because who wants to be the unpopular municipality that creates a stir in the residential neighbourhood? Who wants to be one of the Danish MPs making the difficult decisions that may hurt in the short term, but can save us in the long term? It is not easy.
Everyone should take responsibility
One thing is certain: If no one takes responsibility, it will be difficult to make a difference.
We will not continue to be a green frontrunner for the rest of the world if we do not shoulder the actual implementation part and realize the required solutions.
We hope that our researchers, companies, politicians, and other decision-makers solve the problems. But without commitment from all of us, the barrier to real change will remain intact.
Each of us has a role to play. A responsibility to push the green transition. Right from MPs to local councillors. From elite researchers to citizens.
Decisions about new energy plants must obviously always be made on an informed basis that takes into account both people and nature. But the individual considerations should be weighed against the big picture.
And here we can all contribute to moving faster in the right direction.
