Energy conference 2019

Date: 27/03/2019

Together with Dansk Fjernvarme, Fjernvarmindustrien the annual energy political conference in IDA Mødecenter yesterday

The headline for the meeting was ”From electricity producer to electricity consumer”. The politicians at Christiansborg are preparing for a new energy agreement, and the question is whether it will be an agreement where the market makes the most decisions – or a decision where the politicians set the course? Moderators at the meeting were Kim Mortensen, Managing Director at Dansk Fjernvarme, and Jan Strømvig, Chairman of DBDH and Managing Director of Fjernvarme Fyn.

District heating companies are looking into a future where they go from being electricity producers to being electricity consumers. With the annulment of the compensation for supplying electricity from January 2019, many district heating companies are expected to skip their electricity production. At the same time, political winds are blowing towards an electrification of the district heating sector, where the focal point is heat pumps and consumption of electricity. This was the theme of Energy Policy Conference 2019, which was held at IDA Meeting Center on 26 March. The speakers and headlines of the meeting were these:

Why should we electrify? Everyone is talking about electrification of the energy system, but what are the interests of the industry and district heating companies regarding this? Claus Madsen, Director, ABB

Electrification – a future without biomass? Is electrification at all possible? Can we do without biomass – or should it deliver the heat when the wind turbines stand still, because the wind is not blowing? Brian Vad Mathiesen, Professor, Energy planning, AAU

How do we get enough electricity? Several large data centers are on their way around the country, just as are the electric cars. This will require electricity – a lot of electricity. So where does that leave us with security of supply and what does it mean for the framework conditions? Martin Hansen, Deputy Director, Center for Supply, Danish Energy Agency

Panel debate – Under what conditions should the electrification take place? Martin B. Petersen, Regional Marketing & Sales Manager, Northern Europe, ABB; Brian Vad Mathiesen, Professor, Energy Planning, AAU; and Martin Hansen, Deputy Director, Center for Supply, Danish Energy Agency

Networking break

From electricity producer to electricity consumer
If the district heating sector increasingly needs to use electricity in its heat production and moves from being an electricity producer to being an electricity consumer, it will have consequences for the economy, technology and planning – but which ones? Søren Rygaard, Vice President, Neas Energy

Should the district heating consumers pay for the electricity security supply? If district heating companies are to be net consumers of electricity, the price of electricity and the conditions become crucial. How do we avoid that district heating consumers pay for the security of electricity supply? Jesper Koch, Head of Analysis, Think Tank Green Energy

Case: CTR – New electricity boiler paves the way for electrification CTR has invested in an electric boiler. What is the reason for their new investment and how does it contribute to the electrification? Kamma Eilschou Holm, Director, CTR

Panel debate – Which requirements can we set for the electricity supply?
Jesper Koch, Head of Analysis, Think Tank Green Energy; Søren Rygaard, Vice President, Neas Energy; and Kamma Eilschou Holm, Director, CTR

Networking break

The district heating sector’s sector statistics 2018
What is the district heating sector’s contribution to exports and jobs? How does the district heating sector contribute to the UN world goals? The answers can be found in the new publication Fjernvarmeindustriens Branchestatistik 2018 published by Dansk Fjernvarme and Fjernvarmeindustrien. Kim Mortensen, Managing Director, Dansk Fjernvarme; and Lars Hummelmose, Managing Director, DBDH and Fjernvarmeindustrien

Dear EU – Where are we going? The EU parliamentary elections take place in May. How much space does electrification take up in the EU and what is on the energy policy agenda? Kristian Ruby, Secretary General, Eurolectric

EP Election debate There will soon be an election. But is it also an energy policy election? And how important is energy and green transition for EU candidates? Pernille Weiss, leading candidate (K); Rasmus Nordqvist, MF and leading candidate (Å); Nikolaj Villumsen, senior candidate (EL); and Peter Westermann, EP candidate (SF)

After the meeting, a dinner arrangement was held, with the possibility of further networking for the participant.

See presentations below