By Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen
COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Denmark sourced almost half its electricity consumption from wind power last year, a new record boosted by steep cost reductions and improved offshore technology.
Wind accounted for 47% of Denmark's power usage in 2019, the country's grid operator Energinet said on Thursday citing preliminary data, up from 41% in 2018 and topping the previous record of 43% in 2017.
European countries are global leaders in utilising wind power but Denmark is far in front of nearest rival Ireland, which sourced 28% of its power from wind in 2018 according to data from industry group WindEurope.
Across the European Union, wind accounted for 14% of consumption last year, the group says.
The higher proportion of wind energy in Denmark last year was partly due to Vattenfall (VATN.UL) starting operations at the Horns Rev 3 offshore wind farm in the North Sea in August.
The share of power from wind turbines at sea increased to 18% last year from 14% in 2018, Energinet said. Onshore wind accounted for 29% last year.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) said in October that while power generated from wind turbines at sea only accounts for 0.3% of today's global electricity generation, capacity is set to increase 15-fold over the next two decades.
Denmark aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70% by 2030, with a new climate law passed late last year targeting an increase in the share of electricity sourced from renewable power to 100%.
Denmark, home to wind turbine giant Vestas and the world's largest developer of offshore wind Orsted, has favourable wind conditions and began investing heavily in wind power in the 1970s.