Denmark supports wind energy

"We have a very strong industry for wind turbines in Denmark, which has created tens of thousands of jobs in this sector in a market where international competition has increased," Rasmussen was quoted by Reuters as saying at a news conference.

The test center will be good enough for testing giant wind turbines up to 250 meters (820 ft) high, the report said.

Denmark is a world leader in wind energy, with roughly a fifth of its electricity output coming from wind farms on and offshore, after having built up the industry since the 1970s.

It is also home to the world’s leading wind turbine manufacturer, Vestas, and headquarters for the main wind turbine operations of the world No. 9 manufacturer, Germany’s Siemens, according to fresh 2009 rankings.

"New economies are entering and improving the market for green energy technology so for us to maintain our position as world leader in this area, we need to establish a so-called test center," Rasmussen said.

China became the biggest wind turbine market last year, accounting for more than a third of the world’s new wind power capacity. Chinese manufacturers Sinovel, Goldwind and Dongfang, ranked No. 3, 5 and 7, according to BTM consultants.

Vestas is an active and largest foreign player in the Chinese market.

The government’s proposal next goes to parliament which could pass the legislation by the summer holidays, the report said.

By Xuefei Chen, People’s Daily Online, english.people.com.cn