Wind power plants in Denmark, still a dream

On July 9th, a historic wind was recorded in Denmark. It was not due to its speed or magnitude, but its utility. On the day, Denmark could supply all electricity demand with wind power plants exclusively.

The Guardian: Wind power generates 140% of Denmark's electricity demand

The supply rate of the day reached 116% and even 140% at midnight. Denmark exported excessive power to neighbors, Norway, Germany, and Sweden.

According to the Guardian, Oliver Joy, a spokesman for trade body the European Wind Energy Association, said that it was not a fantasy to supply all demands of energy with renewable energy.

Unfortunately, however, I am skeptical of his words.

In Japan, for example, a total of 1,083,000GWh of the energy was consumed in 2008. After the earthquake and tsunami disaster in 2011, consumption of energy was suppressed. In 2013, the total production of energy was 1,052,000GWh. Compared to this, whole Denmark's windfarms have the 4.8GW capacity. It matches 17,280GWh, only one-sixtieth of the demand.

In addition, wind power is still unstable. The fact that Denmark sold the energy provided from windfarms on the day means that it has to import energy on other days. Indeed, Denmark usually imports energy from foreign countries, including France, which provides massive energy with the atomic power plant.

Japan is surrounded by the ocean. It is difficult to make a deal of energy itself with foreign countries. Its lands are too narrow and complex to be utilized as the ground of windfarms.

Therefore, wind power is still unfeasible to rely on, at least for Japan, as I wrote previously.

My past entry: Long way to renewable energy

My past entry: Atomic power plant to restart in Japan

On the other hand, we should accept that carbonate energy resource is exhausting. Shortly, we should make some innovation to supply stable energy for survival without oil and gas.

One possibility is energy storage. In the present, excessive energy generated is to be wasted. Using batteries with high efficacy, we need not be afraid of a calm day. I expect nuclear fusion technique. But it will take several decades to become utilized.

Up to the day we can gather infinite energy from the air, we have to continue to use conventional ways of power generation, with the best mixture.