In Denmark, the world’s most climate-ambitious nation, the rapid expansion of solar panels has sparked a fierce backlash, particularly in rural areas. The term “jernmarker” (iron fields) was named Danish word of the year in December 2024, reflecting growing opposition to solar farms that opponents say blight the countryside. The issue has influenced municipal elections and is now a key topic ahead of national elections on Tuesday.
Right-wing populist parties, such as the Denmark Democrats led by Inger Støjberg, have tapped into rural discontent. Støjberg declared in a 2024 speech: “We say yes to fields of wheat, and we say no to fields of iron!” The party, while supporting a clean economy, argues that solar panels should be placed on rooftops in cities rather than on farmland. Lukas Slothuus, a climate politics researcher at the University of Sussex, noted that the far right has identified climate as a potent electoral battleground, with solar providing a clear focus.
The backlash has led to project cancellations. In Køge, a renewable energy park was cancelled in January 2025; in Viborg, a solar farm was stopped while wind and biogas components were approved; and on the renewable-powered island of Samsø, councillors rejected a solar park. In Ringkøbing-Skjern, the solar heartland, appetite for new projects has dried up. Mads Fuglede, a Denmark Democrats councillor, said solar panels have become a symbol of an urban elite imposing change on rural areas.
Despite the political noise, solar panels cover only 0.2% of Danish farmland, according to the Danish Solar Association, and about a third of capacity is on rooftops. A November poll found 77% of voters influenced by green energy projects were in favour, but among the two biggest right-wing populist parties, over 80% were opposed. Denmark generates 90% of its electricity from renewables and aims to cut emissions faster than any other wealthy country.
