Danish Island a Model of Renewable Energy Independence

The 4,000 residents of the Danish Island of Samso have achieved energy independence by converting to wind power, solar arrays, and biofuels. Funded by individual investments from residents, as well as tax revenues, Samso has spent $84 million installing 11 large wind turbines on land, ten offshore in the North Sea, and erecting solar panels on many homes. The 11 land turbines meet all the island’s energy needs, and 70 percent of Samso’s homes are heated using solar power or biofuels derived from rye, wheat, and straw. Thirty percent of residents still heat their homes with oil and residents drive cars, but those carbon emissions are offset by the ten offshore turbines. Energy experts say that Samso is a model of how Europe can rapidly make the transition to renewable energy sources; the European Union has set a goal of generating 20 percent of its energy from alternative energy sources by 2020.