Middelgrunden off-shore wind farm (Photo: René Seindal [Flickr])In 1973, Denmark was 99 percent dependent on foreign oil. The '73 oil embargo pushed the Dutch to make a profound comittment to change. The result: Denmark is now energy independent, and in fact, exports electricity to neighboring European countries.
Some highlights of their efforts:
- Wind supplies 21 percent of their energy
- They now export wind technology, making 20,000 jobs for a country with half the population of the state of Maine
- Cars are taxed at 105% of the cost of the vehicle
- The government put up $1 billion to develop and integrate solar, tidal and fuel-cell technology
My original source is a SolarAustin@yahoogroups.com email, but see this Fox News report on the Dutch.
Necessity mothered Danish energy indepenence, the same necessity is coming for the United States.
