The world's first carbon-neutral capital by 2025. That is Copenhagen's goal, aiming to turn 50% of Danish electricity consumption into offshore wind power (currently around 25%). The capital city has always been recognized as one of the most environmentally friendly cities in the world, with much of the city's success attributed to strong community leadership combined with a sound national policy. Concerned with the relatively huge carbon dioxide emissions of their coal-fired electrical power plants back in the 1970s (along with the oil crisis), the Danish government rapidly supported broad initiatives that have supported clean and renewable alternatives to energy production, such as wind energy development, resulting in a dramatic reduction in the cost of electricity and pollution. Wind power was an obvious choice looking at Denmark's geographical location which has very large offshore wind resources, and large areas of sea territory with a shallow water depth where siting is most feasible. Economically, the Danish system created one of the first viable wind technology industries in the world by providing 30% of initial investment capital cost to green firms in the early years which was gradually reduced to zero. On a smaller scale, tax deductions were offered to families if they generated, or participated in cooperatives that generated wind energy within their own or neighboring municipality, creating a grassroots investment in wind power that would finance 86% of all wind turbines in Denmark. Today, almost half of the wind turbines placed around the world are produced by Danish manufacturers, producing a successful and profitable industry that continually reinvests in itselft, continually creating more efficient technologies.
In 2000, the city of Copenhagen took part in a large offshore wind farm project called Middelgruden, built one mile (2km) off the coastline of the capital city in the Øresund strait of the North Sea. Clearly visible from Copenhagen, the project is the world's largest offshore farm, consisting of a slightly curved line of 20 turbines, each 365 ft tall with a rotor diameter of 250 ft. Together, the project produces 40 MW of energy, or enough to power 3% of the city of Copenhagen. Financially, the ownership of the project is shared equally between the Copenhagen Utility and a wind-energy cooperative of over 8,500 indviduals that financed their half by purchasing shares. The success of this bold project, along with the direct location and public backing, states the importance of wind power in Denmark.