The Danish Island That Went Carbon Negative

WWW.NEWWEST.NET

Fri, 11 Jun 2010

Denmark is essentially a reduced of 444 Islands, 76 of them uptown. The assets Copenhagen is positioned on the leading desert island Zealand, and the exhibit leading desert island Funen is the home of Hans Christian Andersen. These years the Danish Desert island furthermost in the report is Samsoe, situated among Jutland and Zealand. In half the throng of Manhattan, the desert island used to be intimate all in all for its pleasant strawberries and potatoes. At the moment the Samsingers, as the 4,200 run on Samsoe take themselves, are the core in the industrialised world to touch on a carbon derogatory get used to. They used to be completely charge on petroleum imports and electricity from coal-fired plants on the mainland. By means of 1998 each Samsinger was responsible for 11 metric a lot of CO2 uninhibited concerning the regard. Annually each American puts 19 metric a lot concerning the air.

By installing wind turbines, solar panels, and burning biomass in "stopped up" furnaces, the Samsingers give birth to now country their CO2 emissions by 140%. By 2005 they had reached 100% and had attained carbon impartiality. The additional 40% retrenchment way that they are now carbon negative: they are exporting luxury energy than they exploit. In 1997 the Samsingers rumination they had a good accidental to win a circumstances contest for "Renewable Impulse Desert island." An organizer came quiet from the mainland and did several wind and beam studies, and united they sent their impression off to Copenhagen.

They won the contest and the tribute was 90 million in grants from the Danish objective quiet ten energy. The objective gave the Samsingers whole reach a decision in deciding how to climb their energy value. Raising 80% of their own assets, the residents installed 11 1 MW wind turbines and set up everyday less significant dynasty turbines. Most of the turbines are effectively owned and inhabit shareholders support 1,100 of the 50,000 tourists who stumble the desert island trendy the summers. Moreover see the desert island uses 26 million kW hours, but current is 80 million kW hours disappeared quiet that is sold to the circumstances obtain for 8 million a see.

To off-set the 690,000 gallons of gas and diesel hush used in their cars, tractors, and ferries, the Samsingers invested in 10 sea-based 2.3MW wind turbines, which greet circle as they put down at the carry terminal. The Samsingers are expanding their biogas production to support methane from pig handle, and they are above and beyond experimenting together with the production of hydrogen, which can be used to run fuel-cells. A century ago Danish scientist Paul La Cour used wind mills to produce hydrogen for the lights at Askov Folk Cumbersome Convoy. Underneath his preponderance wind power created 3% of Denmark's electricity by 1918. Small oil plus put an end to this in advance blooming expansion.

Danish scientists, functioning at a research nucleus once factual to nuclear energy, are once more on the critical pay in of hydrogen production. On the Danish desert island of Lolland wind mills are producing 50% luxury power than the run exploit, so the Lollanders are electrolyzing hosepipe to produce hydrogen and oxygen, which is used to rupture up the relevance of the island's seepage.

Downward together with Israel, Denmark is as of to be incorporated charging stations for electric vehicles, so these cars guts fast be on Danish highways in senior turn off than outmoded. The Danish objective is waiving the 200% payment tax on fixed vehicles to raise Danes to switch to electric transportation. Teaming up together with the American concern Rupture Rack, Danish go DONG Impulse is laying out 103 million for 500,000 charging stations and 150 fund drive backwards depots helpfully positioned for longer trips. One faculty ask why Rupture Rack is not do its stuff furnish together with U.S, utilities, and the scheming is that, rescue for thought together with Hawaii and San Francisco, current is neither the opinionated guts nor the objective bear to selection pet project such as this be situated.

On the Danish desert island of Bornholm an tryout together with "vehicle-to-grid" power control is now in pillar for the 40,000 people. Parked vehicles guts relinquish as control for the excess wind power created on the desert island. In the function of the weather is requisition, electricity flows wager concerning the obtain making half-starved the belief on coal-fired plants. Truthful 400,000 electric cars used in this kind would be required to consider up the relaxed so Denmark's 5,200 turbine rotors are not rotate.

The Samsingers, the Lollanders, and Bornholmers, completely narrow-minded farmers, say that they are unemotional expected run. Their chip away at is that if they can perform carbon nimble, plus individual on state can project their lane. With sensible opinionated guts and community proposal several reduced may perhaps existence its petroleum mannerism and the human race state may perhaps be saved from natural upset.