Vestforbrænding and Innargi in agreement on geothermal heating for Greater Copenhagen

The new agreement between Innargi and Vestforbrænding is part of realizing Vestforbrænding’s plan to convert 30,000 homes in Greater Copenhagen from oil and gas supply to green district heating. The plan almost doubles Vestforbrænding’s heat deliveries and will make the network one of the largest district heating networks in Denmark.

Steen Neuchs Vedel adds that geothermal energy is one of the supplementary heat sources that Vestforbrænding will use for the increased district heating production. Other sources include surplus heat, utilization of CO2 capture, and heat pumps.

Clarification at the beginning of 2025
Until the end of 2024, the parties will analyse the subsurface as well as the current and future district heating network to map where geothermal can best be integrated into the network in interaction with Vestforbrænding’s other heat sources.

Supply-reliable green district heating
Geothermal heating is a very climate-friendly heat source for district heating. When the pumps in the geothermal system are powered by renewable energy from the sun or wind, geothermal heating is not only CO2-neutral, but also emission free. Additionally, the geothermal source is always-on – even when the sun is not shining, and the wind is not blowing.

Once a plant is up and running, there is no local pollution, no noise and no odours, which makes geothermal heating a good neighbour in urban areas.

About the parties

Vestforbrænding is Denmark’s largest waste management and energy company – servicing approximately 1 million citizens in Greater Copenhagen and Northern Sealand. The primary focus is to harvest the substantial resource value in waste, whether it be for recycling or as fuel for energy production.

Innargi finances, develops, constructs, and operates large-scale geothermal plants for district heating companies. Innargi is owned by A.P. Moller Holding, ATP and NRGi.

About geothermal

Geothermal energy is the heat coming from the centre of the earth. One to three kilometres into the Danish subsurface exist many reservoirs of 30-80°C hot geothermal water which, through deep drilling, can be pumped up to the surface so that the heat can be transferred to the water in the district heating network in a closed cycle. Afterwards, the geothermal water is pumped back into the ground. Depending on the temperature of the geothermal water, it might be necessary to install a big heat pump to reach the temperature needed for the district heating network.

The energy potential of geothermal energy is very great, but reaching this potential depends on the conditions in the subsurface (sufficient flow and temperature) as well as the available surface area in vicinity of the district heating network.