District heating for 7,000 new private customers in Køge, Denmark WE MUST MAKE IT EASY FOR CUSTOMERS TO GET DISTRICT HEATING
By Thomas Hopp, Distribution Manager at VEKS
A rapidly growing part of VEKS' business is the development of VEKS Distribution, including Køge Fjernvarme. In Køge, the task over the next five years is to supply district heating to 7,000 new customers who typically live in single-family houses.
The core business of VEKS transmission company is to sup- ply surplus heat from large central cogeneration plants and waste energy plants to 20 local district heating companies. From a few large to many small customers When VEKS broke ground for Køge Fjernvarme well over ten years ago, the target group for the extension was only large customers - customers over 300 m2. A joint venture between Aarsleff and Wicotec won the overall contract, and Ramboll was the client's advisor for VEKS/Køge District Heating. In mid-2014, the first stage of the district heating system and the pump and exchanger station was established and ready to supply large new customers with district heating. But why did VEKS venture into a completely new business area? Back in January 2009, the government encouraged Køge Municipality, like all the country's municipalities, to boost the expansion of district heating through a natural gas conversion. The goal was to reduce the total emission of CO2 in Denmark.
VEKS was asked to take on the municipal task, as district heating was/is one of the most essential instruments for com- plying with Køge municipality's climate plan. The environ- mental benefit of the project is an annual CO2 reduction of 40,000 tons.
The project has since changed character.
From CO2 reduction – and now away from gas prices In Køge - a municipality approximately 30 km south of Co- penhagen - 7,000 private customers are now queuing to get district heating. Expanding district heating is crucial in Den- mark's climate goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 70% by 2030. Politically, the ambition is simultaneous to become independent of Russian natural gas, thereby reducing the importance of gas in the energy supply. But for the current natural gas customers in Køge, the desire for district heating has become very urgent. They are under personal financial pressure from the current international energy crisis, which has led to skyrocketing natural gas prices.
12 HOTCOOL no. 7 2022
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