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prioritize the customer's perspective: What does the custom- er want to know, what is the customer concerned about, and how do we make it easy for the customer? Disappointed cus- tomer expectations must be avoided as far as possible. If the experience of getting district heating is positive, the new customers become the best ambassadors for district heating. They will speak well of the district heating to neighbors, friends, and family. The new customer consultants and advisors in VEKS Distribu- tion are very focused on ensuring that the collaboration with the customer continues, either when the delivery agreement is signed or when the district heating starts heating the house. There will be trouble for new and "old" customers. They must have a quick response to their questions - as well as answers to the complaints that will inevitably come. Crowded market The total investment for Køge District Heating will be approxi- mately € 110 million before the end of 2028. However, this figure is still being determined, as the market is quite tight. It is not only Køge Fjernvarme that has an ambi- tious expansion plan, as many other district heating compa- nies are also expanding in these years. The market is tight with many materials on backorder, prices have exploded, and there is a labor shortage. For VEKS, it is crucial that the project's finances are connect- ed to ensure customers a competitive price. VEKS's district heating price is reasonable, and new customers are offered an advantageous price for connecting to district heating. The en- vironmental benefit is recognized, so Køge Fjernvarme has a firm offer for new district heating customers.
VEKS (Vestegnens Kraftvarmeselskab I/S) VEKS is an inter-municipal general partnership that is operated as a non-profit enterprise. VEKS includes the production, transmission, and distribution of dis- trict heating in the capital area of Vestegnen (West- ern Copenhagen). Twelve municipalities in Vestegnen with a total of 500,000 inhabitants are jointly and severally liable to VEKS' economy. VEKS was founded in 1984 Its primary objective is to utilize heat from the CHP plants and surplus heat from waste incinera- tion, major industrial enterprises, etc. 135km of twin pipes have been laid with 62 heat exchange stations and 18 pumping stations trans- mitting heat to the local district heating systems. Most of the heat is supplied to VEKS from the Avedøre CHP plant, the other CHP plants in Copenhagen, and the waste-to-energy facilities ARGO and Vestforbrænding. The transmission system is controlled, adjusted, and monitored from a 24-hour staffed operations center in VEKS' headquarters in Albertslund. The supply reliability is high in the area, with 29 local boiler stations being used as reserves and for peak load during particularly cold spells.
For further information please contact: Thomas Hopp, thh@veks.dk
Construction work in Køge has been ongoing since 2012. PHOTO: VEKS
Thomas Hopp Thomas Hopp started at VEKS in mid-June 2022. Previously, Thomas Hopp has, among other things, worked in the Min- istry of the Environment and Energy and was head of the secretariat in energy companies and municipalities. His most recent position before VEKS was customer director in the supply company FORS.
Inauguration of Køge District Heating on 29 May 2012 Finn Aaberg, VEKS's chairman at the time, praised the quick decision-making process. He pointed out that it is only help- ful if there is action behind words: "Here is the opportunity to realize the climate and energy policy that everyone agrees on is the way forward, but which can sometimes be difficult to bring from the political agreement to reality."
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