Evaluation of wind power planning in Denmark – Towards an integrated perspective

Wind power is a maturing technology that may form an essential element of fully renewable energy systems in a number of countries. Denmark has a long history of wind power development and is planning to expand its existing capacity. If large-scale penetration of wind power is to be achieved, an integrated framework is needed that can respond to the associated challenges. This paper argues for adopting an integrated macro perspective when evaluating and building frameworks to support wind power development. This macro perspective is applied to the case of Denmark, and more specifically to concrete wind power projects in the region of Northern Jutland. The results suggest that although certain elements in the current legislation have been improved, the feasibility of wind power projects cannot be guaranteed, and there is a tendency to exclude smaller turbines from development.