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.[1] Denmark expects to be self-sufficient with oil until 2050.[2] However, gas resources are expected to decline, and production may decline below consumption in 2020, making imports necessary.[3] Denmark imports around 12% of its energy (this statistic includes all forms of energy, not just electricity).[4]
Denmark has drastically decreased[5][6] production of electricity from coal, in 2019 it was less than 11% and will cease in 2024.
In February 2011 the Danish government announced the "Energy Strategy 2050" with the aim to be fully independent of fossil fuels by 2050,[7] and a new government repeated the goal in 2015 despite public scepticism.[8]
The European Renewables Directive set a mandatory target at 20% share of energy from renewable sources by 2020 (EU combined).[9][10] In 2012 the Danish government adopted a plan to increase the share of electricity production from wind to 50% by 2020,[11][12] and to 84% in 2035;[13] this was later changed to a broader 100% renewable electricity by 2030 target.[14][15]