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Denmark imports but does not produce nuclear energy, which is in accordance with a 1985 law passed by the Danish parliament, prohibiting power production from nuclear energy in Denmark. [1] [2] [3] In 2014 and 2015, (imported) nuclear power was 3-4% of electricity consumption in Denmark. [4]
Instead of building nuclear power, Denmark converted oil plants to coal and built new coal power plants so efficiently that for a number of years Denmark was the world's second largest importer of coal (11-12 million tons per year). [5] The past decades, Denmark has focused on renewable energy sources such as wind energy to reduce the country's dependence on coal power. In 2007, about 11.4 TWh of electricity was exported and 10.4 TWh imported. Import from Sweden amounted 5 TWh, from Norway 3.9 TWh, and from Germany 1.5 TWh. Both Sweden and Germany have a portion of nuclear energy in their power production. [1]
Beginning in 2003, three nuclear research reactors at the former Risø National Laboratory have been shut down, [2] and are in the process of being dismantled. The reactors were named DR-1, DR-2 and DR-3, and had the following properties: [6]
Name | Reactor type | Thermal power | Operating years | Decommissioned |
---|---|---|---|---|
DR1 | Homogenous reactor | 2 kW | 1957–2001 | 2003–2006 |
DR2 | Pool reactor | 5 MW | 1958–1975 | since 2003 |
DR3 | DIDO | 10 MW | 1960–2000 | since 2003 |
The issue of introducing nuclear power in Denmark has, however, gained new flare-up since 2019, when COP-19 and the state of the climate showed that there is a global need for new or other energy sources that do not emit the same large amounts of CO2 and other greenhouse gases as fossil fuels. The movement "Atomkraft, ja tak" has grown in membership and has received a lot of media coverage. [source missing] In August 2023, a Gallup poll showed that 55% of Denmark's population is positive for nuclear power compared to 26% against. [7] The Technical University of Denmark reintroduced Danish research into nuclear power in 2024. [8]
In 2015, two Danish companies Seaborg Technologies and Copenhagen Atomics were established. Both are private companies that work on the development of so-called molten salt reactors (MSR) [9] [10] , where the fissile fuel is mixed in the molten salt, and have a significantly lower output effect than the conventional, commercially available nuclear power reactors. They are therefore smaller in size, and in both cases will be of modular construction (Small Modular Reactors (SMR)).
The electricity sector in Norway relies predominantly on hydroelectricity. A significant share of the total electrical production is consumed by national industry.
Japan's primary energy consumption was 477.6 Mtoe in 2011, a decrease of 5% over the previous year. The country lacks significant domestic reserves of fossil fuel, except coal, and must import substantial amounts of crude oil, natural gas, and other energy resources, including uranium. Japan relied on oil imports to meet about 84% of its energy needs in 2010. Japan was also the first coal importer in 2010, with 187 Mt, and the first natural gas importer with 99 bcm. As of 2019, 88% of Japan's total primary energy supply came from fossil fuels.
Denmark has considerable sources of oil and natural gas in the North Sea and ranked as number 32 in the world among net exporters of crude oil in 2008. Denmark expects to be self-sufficient with oil until 2050. However, gas resources are expected to decline, and production may decline below consumption in 2020, making imports necessary. Denmark imports around 12% of its energy.
Nordic electricity market is a common market for electricity in the Nordic countries. It is one of the first free electric-energy markets in Europe and is traded in NASDAQ OMX Commodities Europe and Nord Pool Spot. In 2003, the largest market shares were as follows: Vattenfall 17%, Fortum 14.1%, Statkraft 8.9%, E.on 7.5%, Elsam 5%, Pohjolan Voima 5%. Other producers had 42.5% market share.
The energy sector in Switzerland is, by its structure and importance, typical of a developed country. Apart from hydroelectric power and firewood, the country has few indigenous energy resources: oil products, natural gas and nuclear fuel are imported, so that in 2013 only 22.6% of primary energy consumption was supplied by local resources.
Majority of electricity production in Sweden relies on hydro power and nuclear power. In 2008 the consumption of electricity in Sweden was 16018 kWh per capita, compared to EU average 7409 kWh per capita. Sweden has a national grid, which is part of the Synchronous grid of Northern Europe. A specialty of the Nordic energy market is the existence of so-called electricity price areas, which complicate the wholesale Nordic energy market.
Denmark's western electrical grid is part of the Synchronous grid of Continental Europe whereas the eastern part is connected to the Synchronous grid of Northern Europe via Sweden.
The electricity sector in France is dominated by its nuclear power, which accounted for 71.7% of total production in 2018, while renewables and fossil fuels accounted for 21.3% and 7.1%, respectively. France has the largest share of nuclear electricity in the world, and together with renewable energy supplies, this has helped its grid achieve very low carbon intensity.
Russia is the fourth largest generator and consumer of electricity in the world. Its 440 power stations have a combined installed generation capacity of 220 GW.
The electric power industry in Japan covers the generation, transmission, distribution, and sale of electric energy in Japan. Japan consumed 995.26 TWh of electricity in 2014. Before the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, about a quarter of electricity in the country was generated by nuclear power. In the following years, most nuclear power plants have been on hold, being replaced mostly by coal and natural gas. Solar power is a growing source of electricity, and Japan has the third largest solar installed capacity with about 50 GW as of 2017.
In 2023, Spain consumed 244,686 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity, a 2.3% decline from 2022.
The total electricity consumption of the Netherlands in 2021 was 117 terawatt-hours (TWh). The consumption grew from 7 TWh in 1950 by an average of 4.5% per year. In 2021, fossil fuels, such as natural gas and coal accounted for about 62% of the produced electricity. Renewable energy sources, such as biomass, wind power, and solar power, produce 38% of the total electricity. One nuclear plant in the Netherlands, in Borssele, is responsible for about 3% of total generation. The majority of the electricity, more than 75%, is produced centrally by thermal and nuclear units.
The electricity sector in Belgium describes electricity in Belgium. Production by power source in 2009 was 53% nuclear, 40% fossil electricity and 7% renewable electricity. 2% of production was exported in 2009. In 2008 import was 11%. Belgium is highly nuclear dependent country where the share of renewable electricity has been low. The share of renewable electricity was about 2% in 2005. Plan for 2020 is wind 10.5 TWh (9.5%), biomass 11 TWh and PV 1 TWh.
The electricity sector in Switzerland relies mainly on hydroelectricity, since the Alps cover almost two-thirds of the country's land mass, providing many large mountain lakes and artificial reservoirs suited for hydro power. In addition, the water masses drained from the Swiss Alps are intensively used by run-of-the-river hydroelectricity (ROR). With 9,052 kWh per person in 2008, the country's electricity consumption is relatively high and was 22% above the European Union's average.
Energy in Sweden describes energy and electricity production, consumption and import in Sweden. Electricity sector in Sweden is the main article of electricity in Sweden. The Swedish climate bill of February 2017 aims to make Sweden carbon neutral by 2045. The Swedish target is to decline emission of climate gases 63% from 1990 to 2030 and international transportation excluding foreign flights 70%. By 2014 just over half of the country's total final energy consumption in electricity, heating and cooling and transport combined was provided by renewables, the highest share amongst the then 28 EU member countries. About a third of Sweden's electricity is generated by nuclear power. In generating a year's worth of this energy, Swedes generate about 4 tonnes of CO2 emissions each. Since 2010, sustainability measures have reduced total emissions even as the population has increased.
Energy in Ukraine is mainly from gas and coal, followed by nuclear and oil. The coal industry has been disrupted by conflict. Most gas and oil is imported, but since 2015 energy policy has prioritised diversifying energy supply.
Energy in Luxembourg describes energy and electricity production, consumption and import in Luxembourg. Energy policy of Luxembourg will describe the politics of Luxembourg related to energy in greater detail. Electricity sector in Luxembourg is the main article of electricity in Luxembourg.
Primary energy use in Slovakia was 194 TWh and 36 TWh per million inhabitants in 2009.
Coal in Europe describes the use of coal as an energy fuel in Europe. Coal includes hard coal, black coal, and brown coal.
Seaborg Technologies is a private Danish startup. It is developing small molten salt reactors. Founded in 2015 and based in Copenhagen, Denmark, Seaborg emerged as a small team of physicists, chemists, and engineers with educational roots at the Niels Bohr Institute, CERN, ESS and DTU who share a common vision of safe, sustainable and cheap nuclear power.