local commitment and collaboration, and this unique community is the foundation for our success in creating a sustainable Sønderborg area in development and growth.” Sector coupling videocasts Based on the knowledge gained from long-term cooperation with experts in the energy sector, we have made a series of videocasts focusing on sector coupling, intending to share the insights and knowledge obtained over the years. The first videocast intends to provide a general overview of why sector coupling is important and its key elements. This overview provides the general framework for the subsequent video- casts, which focuses on successful examples of district heating systems benefitting from the principles of sector coupling.
demand savings. Based on our research, the heating sector plays a major role in the green transition, and sharing and explaining the message is key.” Due to the complexity of modern energy systems, it is beneficial to approach the topic with different zoom levels, starting with a helicopter view to establish a shared vision and subse-quently go into details of the building blocks of the energy system. This is particularly important when it comes to the in-troduction of fluctuating renewables and increasingly diversi-fied energy sources.
Anders Dyrelund, District Energy Plan- ning & Infrastructure Ramboll: “The Danish energy planning based on economic assessment for the consumers and the society, including environmental impact costs of CO2, has paved the way for many important sector couplings. Most impor- tant is the coupling between buildings and
district energy, as cities are growing, and district energy pro- vides numerous sector couplings for cost-effective, resilient, low-carbon energy supply in cities. In particular, the couplings between district energy and electricity. If power-only genera- tion is on the margin, district heating can utilize the surplus heat, thus cutting down fuel consumption for heating to less than 40% for society. In case of hydro, wind, or solar PV is on the margin and curtailed, district energy can utilize the surplus electricity which else would be wasted and even more offer balancing services to the grid. It is a cost-effective and simple “virtual battery.” Finally, district heating opens for environmentally friendly utilization of waste and surplus biofuels and further on for carbon capture and utilization.” Due to the complexities and number of actors involved in the energy system, initiatives like ProjectZero in Sønderborg can play a central role in boosting the knowledge level in their local communities and support the citizens and local companies to identify and implement energy-saving improvements, as well as energy saving behaviors.
Copenhagen district heating Copenhagen has a long and successful history of district heating, with the first scheme dating back to 1903. Over the years, more and more systems were built in Copenhagen and even-tually interconnected to utilize a wide range of energy sources effectively. Today, 98% of all buildings, approximately 500,000 households, in Copenhagen are heated by the district heat-ing system. The system is an excellent example of how large district heating systems can support and benefit from sector coupling. In the Copenhagen videocast, we present the main aspects of the system and explain how the district heating sys-tem is the key to ensuring a clean, affordable, and resilient heat supply to the city.
Anne Brenderup, Senior Project Manager Project Zero: “In Sønderborg, we have launched the ProjectZero mission back in 2007, with the aim to be CO2 neutral by 2029. Today, we are more than halfway on our journey. We cannot save the world, but we can show others that the solutions to keep global warming at a tolerable level for
Lars Gullev, Senior Consultant VEKS: “Establishing the Greater Copenhagen district heating system has been possible due to a clear political objective from 20 municipalities in the 1980s, intending to utilize excess heat from fossil-based CHP plants and waste incineration. Today and in the future, the aim is to base the heat pro-
future generations are already here.
duction on sustainable biomass, heat from waste energy plants, geothermal energy, large seawater-based heat pumps, surplus heat from Carbon Capture and PtX, data centers, and industry. The Copenhagen system is green and flexible; therefore, we are prepared for the future. And the future is not far away.”
In Sønderborg, we have great companies, research, and educa- tional institutions with energy efficiency and green technology knowledge. Right from the start, ProjectZero is built on strong
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