German-Danish alliance against climate change

Husum - In the last few years the subject of climate change has not been taken very seriously by politicians in our northern neighbour Denmark. Even though the consequences of global warming can be very clearly seen in Denmark’s arctic territories, there has been no reduction in CO2 emissions in recent years and by 2010 these are expected to be more than 30 percent higher than the agreed Kyoto levels.

Since 2001 a lack of funding has paralysed the use of renewable energy for generating electricity and heat, whereby funding for wind farming has also been withdrawn. Today 15 percent of Denmark’s total energy requirements are met by regenerative energy sources, and 20% of Danish electricity needs are covered by wind energy alone.

There is particularly great potential for wind energy and biomass in Denmark. In 2009 Denmark is to host the UN conference at which a follow-up agreement to Kyoto is to be negotiated.

In March 2007 Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen announced that "Denmark must cease to be reliant on fossil fuels, and to achieve this goal we must continue to develop renewable energy sources."

This is one reason for the new German-Danish climate change alliance being showcased at the North German NEW ENERGY trade fair, from 13th to 16th March 2008 in Husum.

"We are delighted by the great Danish involvement in the NEW ENERGY fair. Here both countries will be able to send out a clear message that they know climate change does not stop at regional borders, and that we have to find solutions quickly and by working across borders", confirmed Messe Husum CEO Hanno Fecke.

The NEW ENERFGY fair now has a Danish patron in the person of South Denmark Regional Council member Jens Andresen.

"In my opinion it is natural, important and a great challenge that Danish and German firms, organisations and other energy sector actors should come together in Husum to discuss the latest knowledge and the latest inventions, and present them to the industry and the general public. On the Danish side, we have done everything we can to support the organisers by establishing contacts to Danish actors in the field of sustainable or renewable energy – and all our efforts are aimed at a substantial Danish presence at the trade fair. This is quite natural, particularly in the border region – and especially with regard to this global problem", affirmed Jens Andresen, who is also chair of the Sønderjylland-Schleswig Region.

Numerous Danish companies are expected as exhibitors at NEW ENERGY 2008. The NEW ENERGY congress programme will also include presentations by those Danish regions that have exhibited exemplary behaviour in changing their energy supplies over to renewable energy. One of these is the island of Ærø which has the largest solar energy plant in the world.

Besides wind, Schleswig-Holstein also offers plenty of sunshine, agricultural raw materials for biogas plants and wood for heating, which explains the high regional growth rates for the use of solar, biogas and wood heating.

The state boasts around 1,600 photovoltaic systems, and an estimated 11,000 solar heating systems. And this trend is very definitely on the up. There are now 130 biogas (power) plants, 35 wood-fired heating plants and 6 straw combustion units in Schleswig-Holstein.

The number of pellet and firewood boilers in private households has now reached around 15,000.

The NEW ENERGY fair in Husum has become one of the state’s main platforms for the use of renewable energy. In March 2008 it will be presenting all kinds of technology and services to do with renewable energy (solar heating, photovoltaics, wood and crop burning, biogas, geothermic energy, and fuel cells) as well as methods of saving energy and being more energy-efficient.


Husum, 04. December 2007

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Attention editorial offices: For further questions please contact Mrs. Kira Sönksen, MESSE Husum, project director new energy 2008.
Am Messeplatz 16-18
25813 Husum
Tel: 04841-902 480
E-Mail: mailto:sönksen@messehusum.de
Internet: http://www.messehusum.de

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