The Danish district heating companies play a central role in ensuring energy supply security and innovating energy consumption in Denmark, providing value for you, me, and the rest of society.
It’s a poorly kept secret that district heating companies in Denmark are one of the cornerstones of the green transition. The fact that the district heating sector supplies heat to more than 1.8 million Danish households and around 3.7 million Danes illustrates this best.
Fortunately, Danish district heating companies do much more than that. This is described in a new analysis from the Danish District Heating Association – “The Role of District Heating in the Energy System” – which covers not only the typical supply of heat but also some of the many other ways the district heating system strengthens the Danish energy system.
“We contribute to ensuring the supply security in our electrical system, which is becoming increasingly green and more fluctuating. Here, our combined heat and power plants provide the necessary balance so that each of us has power when we need it,” says Jesper Frost Rasmussen, Chairman of the Danish District Heating Association, in the preface to the analysis.
The Chairman also mentions that district heating companies, as a whole, are at the forefront of efforts to meet society’s climate goals. Specifically, 76.9% of district heating today comes from green, renewable energy sources.
“And we expect that the sector will reach 100% green by 2030,” writes Chairman Jesper Frost Rasmussen.
District heating companies are also leading in innovation. Several waste-to-energy plants are involved in projects for carbon capture and storage. Additionally, district heating is at the forefront of utilizing excess heat from various industrial companies, data centers, and upcoming PtX plants.
“Analyses show that selling excess heat to district heating can improve the competitiveness of PtX plants located in Denmark compared to neighboring countries without widespread district heating,” writes Jesper Frost Rasmussen in his preface to the analysis.
Source: Danish District Heating Association Photo: @Jesper Voldgaard