Denmark’s combined experience and competences in green transition give us a unique opportunity to help reduce global greenhouse gas emissions in the rest of the world.
Through bilateral energy partnerships, the Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities share our experience from the Danish energy transition with the world. By partnering with some of the world’s biggest countries and fastest growing economies, we put our expertise to use where it holds the greatest impact. We focus our efforts on Danish core competences within energy transition.
The 19 partner countries are China, the USA, India, Mexico, South Africa, Vietnam, Ukraine, Indonesia, Turkey, South Korea, Japan, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, France, the United Kingdom, Egypt, Kenya, and Ethiopia. Together, they represent two thirds of global CO2-emissions.
We share our experiences, tools and build capacity in green energy transition. Building local capacity is at the center of our activities. In many of our partnerships, we strive to identify the most cost-effective green path to reach - or even go beyond - the partner country’s nationally determined greenhouse gas emission targets as submitted to the UNFCCC. The solutions are manifold and based on the following Danish core competences:
- Long-term energy modelling and scenarios
- Integration of renewable energy in the energy system
- Wind power – offshore and onshore
- Energy efficiency – industry and buildings
- District heating
A vital prerequisite for green transition is the regulatory and policy framework. Therefore, we also share our best practice so our partners can be inspired, and design and implement effective and efficient regulation. A long-term framework supporting the green transition creates a sound business environment, fosters innovation, makes economic sense, lowers consumer prices, reduces carbon emissions, and expands the global market for clean energy technology.
Cooperation with our partner countries takes place on a national, regional and/or local level as well as with non-state actors. The collaborations do not only support our partner’s energy transition and climate goals – they also support a general sound business environment, by expanding the energy technology market in areas, where also Danish energy companies can offer high quality and proven technology solutions.
The partnerships are anchored in the Danish Energy Agency and implemented in close collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Global cooperation with tangible results
Our partnerships confirm that the Danish energy model serves as an excellent example for sustainable energy system transformation coupled with sustainable economic growth.
Examples of the many results of our bilateral cooperation include a cooperation between Danish and Chinese energy authorities to increase power plant flexibility. Danish and Chinese technical experts worked together to show how China’s future energy system can be designed so that China reduces its CO2-emissions by more than 7 billion tonnes of CO2 annually by 2050 – without increased energy costs. Through this unique Danish approach, we provide advice on downscaling high-emission activities while upscaling green solutions. With Danish help, China has strengthened the integration of renewable energy and increased the flexibility of coal-fired power plants. This has led to more green energy in the electricity system corresponding to 9 offshore wind farms and reduced CO2 emissions by 22.5 million tonnes. This corresponds to 72 percent of the CO2 emissions from Danish energy consumption in 2019.
In India, Denmark supports the country in meeting their ambitious target of 450 GW renewable energy in 2030. The partnership is focused on long-term energy planning and scenarios, flexibility and integration of renewable energy and on offshore wind. Denmark and India have launched a virtual knowledge hub Centre of Excellence for Offshore Wind and Renewable Energy, which aims to become a nationally and internationally recognized, respected and leading knowledge hub working for a sustainable development of offshore wind energy in India.
Another example is how the Danish-Vietnamese energy partnership supports Vietnam in long-term energy planning. Calculations show that Vietnam can make their energy system both cheaper and more sustainable, so that by 2050 Vietnam may reduce up to 370 million tonnes of CO2 annually compared to their existing projections. This corresponds to more than 10 times as much as Denmark’s annual CO2 emissions from the energy consumption in 2019.
Other examples include:
- Mapping of wind atlases in South Africa and Mexico, which the Danish Energy Agency has contributed to
- A Danish-Ukrainian energy partnership aimed at increasing energy efficiency in Ukraine’s industry
- Assisting the United States in implementing offshore wind as a new, cheap and clean energy source for a number of coastal states
Read more about global cooperation on the website of the Danish Energy Agency.