Last week, a group of Louisiana leaders traveled to Denmark to get a firsthand look at how the country became a global trailblazer in wind energy.
The tour, which was organized by the Center for Planning Excellence, was designed to inform Louisiana’s energy strategy as the state explores its own opportunities in offshore wind.
The delegation included state and local officials, academic researchers, industry experts and port authorities. Delegates visited multiple wind energy facilities and manufacturers across Denmark and attended WindEurope 2025 in Copenhagen, the world’s largest wind energy conference. WindEurope hosted more than 8,000 professionals from over 50 countries.
CPEX President and CEO Camille Manning-Broome says the tour helped illustrate how wind energy could support economic development in Louisiana.
“Louisiana—with its skilled workforce, robust port system and advanced manufacturing facilities—is well-positioned to play a leading role in the emerging wind energy supply chain,” a statement from Manning-Broome reads.
CPEX identified several key takeaways from the tour:
Port and industry collaboration: Denmark’s Port of Aalborg demonstrates how ports can evolve into major wind energy hubs through close coordination with suppliers, manufacturers and academic institutions.
Workforce alignment: In Louisiana, 80% of the oil and gas workforce’s skills are transferable to roles in wind energy.
Economic development: Denmark’s wind sector employs over 33,000 people, accounting for 2% of private sector jobs, and contributes roughly $6.7 billion in exports annually.
Education and training: Strong partnerships between Denmark’s universities and energy companies have helped develop a pipeline of skilled workers.
The tour also covered Denmark’s policy framework, streamlined permitting processes and long-term investment strategies.
Denmark’s dominance in renewable energy has been decades in the making. The country began investing in alternative energy sources in the 1970s following the global oil crisis. Today, wind energy generates nearly 60% of Denmark’s electricity with a 99.9% reliability rate, according to CPEX.
