Vestforbrænding and Innargi have entered an agreement to establish geothermal energy for district heating. The agreement is a part of Denmark’s largest civil construction project within district heating, where 39,000 new heating customers change from oil and gas sourced heating to district heating. At the same time, the agreement brings geothermal energy to the Greater Copenhagen area for the first time, where the potential to use geothermal energy for district heating is particularly good.
Vestforbrænding is well under way with an extensive plan for 39,000 district heating customers in Ballerup, Herlev, Gladsaxe, Lyngby-Taarbæk, Furesø, Frederikssund and Egedal – all municipalities in Greater Copenhagen – to change from oil and gas sourced heating to district heating.
The plan will nearly double Vestforbrænding’s heating supply and will make the network one of the largest in Denmark. Geothermal energy is one of the new heat sources that Vestforbrænding is incorporating into the future of district heating, and it will increase heating supply security. Other new heat sources are e.g. waste heat from companies and carbon capture.
“We will need much more district heating in the future, and for district heating to come from several different sources. This will provide a robust supply and will secure stable and low prices for end users. Geothermal energy fits in perfectly. When customers change from their individual heat source to district heating, they will also avoid the price dependency on a single energy source, regardless of whether it is oil, gas or electricity.”
Steen Neuchs Vedel, CEO of Vestforbrænding
Heating for 10,000 households
The facility will have a capacity of 26 MW, which corresponds to the usage for 10,000 households.
The plan is to establish the facility in the Lyngby-Taarbæk municipality, however the precise location has not yet been decided on. Vestforbrænding and Innargi are in dialogue with the municipality, but no permits have been granted or a specific location has been secured. Seismic surveys of the subsurface are currently being conducted, which will help to find the most suitable locations. Following this, the possible location will be reviewed and approved by the municipality. Since 2015, Vestforbrænding has continuously expanded the district heating network in Lyngby-Taarbæk. By 2028, 3,500 new customers will be connected in the municipality.
Unlocking future projects
For Innargi, the agreement means the start of geothermal energy production from the geological reservoir that lies beneath most of Greater Copenhagen.
“The geological conditions to establish geothermal energy in the Greater Copenhagen area for district heating are really good. So the project is hopefully just the first of several with Vestforbrænding, which will roll out much more district heating. At the same time, we make the possibilities for the other district heating companies in Greater Copenhagen tangible, which are also expanding their network and considering alternatives to biomass.”
Samir Abboud, CEO at Innargi
About the project:
Heating facility placement expected to be in Lyngby-Taarbæk municipality
26 MW
Corresponds to heating demand in 10,000 households
Drilling start in 2026
Heat delivered from 2028