What is the world coming to? Denmark, that model of eco-friendliness, announced last week that it would prioritize financial competitiveness over environmental sensitivity — and that, as a result, it would stop subsidizing the installation of new wind turbines beginning in 2004. Economy Minister Bendt Bendtsen said electricity generated by wind turbines was too expensive and compromised the position of Danish firms in the world market. Earlier Danish governments — the new one is center-right, apparently with an emphasis on right — were wind advocates; thanks to them, the tiny country has the world’s fourth-largest wind turbine capacity, and renewable energy sources will generate 27 percent of the nation’s electricity by 2003. After that, though, it’s anyone’s guess.
