Denmark Generates 39% Of Electricity From Wind, Sets World Record For Wind Power And Weans Itself Off Of Coal Power [PHOTO]

Denmark has just set a world record with its use of wind power, which generated a huge 39 percent of its electricity in 2014. According to Think Progress, this puts Denmark on track to meeting its 2020 goal of getting 50 percent of its power from renewable energy sources.

The whole of the U.K. is actually doing pretty well in terms of generating wind-powered electricity. Wind generated enough electricity to power just over 25 percent of U.K. homes in 2014 - a 15 percent increase from 2013.

Still, Denmark is in the lead by far, and hopes to push ahead strongly. According to The Local Denmark, Climate Minister Rasmus Helveg Petersen stated, "We will definitely hit our 2020 goals. We have set a one-of-a-kind world record. And it shows that we can reach our ultimate goal, namely to stop global warming."

The sizeable increase in electricity production is largely being attributed to the more than 100 new offshore windmills that were installed in 2014. Petersen continued, "I think this gives us some opportunities to get rid of coal sooner and get going with the green conversion," conveying his excitement at the installation.

However, Gizmodo reports that electricity only makes up one tenth of Denmark's total energy usage, and the use of fossil fuels like oil, coal and natural gas still account for about three fourths of Denmark's total energy use.

In order to more fully rely on wind power, Aalborg University professor of energy planning Brian Vad Mathiesen thinks that Denmark heat and power plants need to invest in heat pump systems that run on wind-generated electricity rather than fossil fuels. 

This means that Denmark still has a long way to go in reaching its ultimate goal. Petersen has since responded to Mathiesen's comment by saying that Denmark has invested 60 million kroner (a little under $10 million) toward a heat pump trial program meant to encourage Danish power plants to use the more climate-friendly solution.