30% of Denmark’s district heating consumption can be provided by geothermal energy

Aalborg

In Aalborg, it may be possible to cover 30-50% of district heating with geothermal energy. This would require approximately 10 geothermal plants with a total of 20 wells. Because geothermal heating would replace coal in Aalborg, the average household in Aalborg that switches to geothermal heating would have its CO₂ footprint reduced by 1.5 tonnes a year.

We are currently in the project development phase.  We have submitted an application to the Danish Energy Agency for a license to explore and extract geothermal energy in Aalborg. We are currently in dialogue with the local utility company Aalborg Forsyning about a potential heat supply agreement to provide heating to district heating customers in Aalborg. If both the license and heat supply agreement are endorsed, we will move on to the exploration phase.

Aarhus

In Aarhus, it may be possible to provide 30% of district heating with geothermal energy. If exploitation wells confirm the presence of sufficient energy, a full development would require ten geothermal plants with up to 22 wells. We have planned seven plants in Aarhus, covering up to 25% of the district heating demand.

We are currently in the project development phase. We hold a license to explore and extract geothermal energy in Aarhus. In October 2018, we signed a letter of intent with AffaldVarme Aarhus (The district heating utility company for Aarhus Municipality) which confirms a mutual wish for a collaboration where we supply heat to district heating customers in Aarhus. The collaboration has led to formulation of a contract for supplying geothermal heat to Aarhus for 30 years to come. If this contract is endorsed, we will move on to the exploration phase.

North Zealand

In January 2020, we completed the initial stage of a 1-year integrated project, facilitated by Energi på Tværs, mapping the future potential for introducing geothermal energy in North Zealand and the Copenhagen area. 33 interested utility companies and municipalities were invited to participate in this project.

In parallel, we have conducted preliminary investigations of various matters of a technical, commercial and underground nature.

Based on the result of the integrated project along with our own preliminary investigations, we have now narrowed down the geothermal project to include a handful of supply areas with a concurrent geothermal demand and who actively has expressed an interest in continuing the maturation of geothermal. The next stage of the project for North Zealand as well as for the Copenhagen area with the shortlisted municipalities will commence during spring 2020.