Danish Foreign Affairs Minister Per Stig Moller has announced a wind energy seminar to take place in Pretoria, South Africa on January 23. The one-day international seminar would include South Africa’s Minister of Minerals and Energy Buyelwa Sonjica, in addition to presentations by Danish companies such as Vestas Wind Systems, Dong Energy, and Suzlon Wind Energy.
“We are delighted to bring three Danish energy players that also happen to be world leaders, to South Africa. The Danish experience in wind energy is a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale. Not only does it make Denmark greener, but it also provides jobs and foreign exchange,” said Denmark’s Ambassador to South Africa Dan Frederiksen.
Denmark is keen to capitalize on South Africa’s potential wind energy as the country has made plans to diversify its energy mix and expand more into wind. The Department of Minerals and Energy has set a target of generating 10,000 GWh of electricity by renewable resources by 2013. However, wind energy comprises only 1% of renewable energy used globally.
Eskom is constructing wind farms in the Western Cape with completion planned by March 30, 2010.
The Pretoria seminar would also have energy experts delivering papers and talks on wind mapping, wind technology, the Clean Development Mechanism, connecting wind power to the national grid, uplifting local communities with green technologies, and wind energy in South Africa.
