In March 2012 a historic new Energy Agreement was reached in Denmark. The Agreement contains a wide range of ambitious initiatives, bringing Denmark a good step closer to the target of 100% renewable energy in the energy and transport sectors by 2050.

In many ways, Denmark has started the green transition well. However the Agreement moves us up a gear, with large investments up to 2020 in energy efficiency, renewable energy and the energy system. Results in 2020 include approximately 50% of electricity consumption supplied by wind power, and more than 35% of final energy consumption supplied from renewable energy sources.

No energy agreement has ever been reached by a larger and broader majority in the Danish Parliament than this one; and no Danish energy agreement has previously covered such a long time horizon. In other words, a solid framework has been provided for the huge private and public investment to be made in the years to come. Read about the energy agreement and it's results in 2020 here.

Read the Energy Policy Report 2013 from the Minister for Climate, Energy and Building to the Danish Parliament.

Energy savings – the road forward

Energy savings and energy efficiency are important components of Danish energy policy and contribute to limiting energy consumption. We need significant and cost-effective energy savings within all areas. We need to spend less energy in our homes; enterprises need to be made more energy-efficient; and we need to aim special efforts at public institutions.

The initiatives agreed on in the energy agreemnt will result in a reduction of almost 7.6% in 2020 relative to 2010.

Read more about energy savings in Denmark here

Renewable energy in Denmark

Along with security of supply, energy savings and green growth, expanding the use of renewable energy in Denmark is at the core of the Danish energy policy.

As a result of the energy agreement, Denmark will have more than 35% renewable energy in final energy consumption in 2020. This is a major step towards the long-term goal for a green-growth economy with 100% renewable energy in energy and transport sectors.

It is a binding target in the EU that at least 30% will be renewable energy in Denmark's final energy consumption by 2020. This is stipulated in the EU climate and energy package from 2008. In addition, there is a binding target of 10% renewable energy in the transport sector by 2020.

Read more about renewable energy in Denmark here

Climate Policy

Denmark has committed to meeting an ambitious and binding target for reducing greenhouse gases by 2020. This target is the most ambitious in the EU: By 2020, Denmark must have reduced the greenhouse gas emissions from Danish non-ETS sectors by 20% relative to 2005.

Denmark’s international commitment to a significant reduction in the greenhouse gas emissions not covered by the ETS in the period 2013-2020 poses a special challenge.

The government's climate target is to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2020 in relation to 1990. Read about the general greenhouse gas reduction principals in the Danish Climate Policy Plan

The high level of ambition underpins the need for a Danish policy that will give Denmark the highest return on climate and energy investments. The Catalogue of Danish Climate Change Mitigation Measures describes a number of possible policies and measures to mitigation climate change.  

Good examples of mitigation policies in Denmark is the use of wind power and the electric car.

The current investments in expanding the infrastructure to accommodate electric cars are a relatively cheap way to reduce CO2 emissions from the transport sector. The electric car solves three problems in one, since it also provides energy savings and opportunities for increasing the share of renewable energy in our energy system.

Security of supply

The recipe for long-term security of supply is to reduce energy consumption through energy savings, increased use of renewables, and closer collaboration in Europe.