Skip to content

Danish Energy Study Trip


(Photo: In front of the heat stores at the Avedøreværket combined heat and power station – left to right – Ian Manders of the Danish Embassy, Barry Gardiner MP, Rebecca Long-Bailey MP, Alan Whitehead MP )

Denmark Energy Study tour by Shadow Ministers

A group of UK Shadow Ministers have just returned from Denmark where they went to see green energy projects and hear from local experts. More than 40 per cent of Denmark’s electricity supply comes from wind power and the plan is to reach 50 per cent by 2020. Denmark aims to be 100 per cent free of fossil fuel by 2050, a target that includes electricity, heating and transport.

The group of Labour MPs included Shadow Secretaries of State and Shadow Cabinet members, Rebecca Long-Bailey and Barry Gardiner and Shadow Ministers Bill Esterson and Dr Alan Whitehead.

The study trip took place between 2-3 October and included sessions on Denmark’s efforts to decarbonise energy, plus examples of how industry and Government work closely together on energy. The visit was organised by the Danish Embassy in London and the Danish Energy Agency, in cooperation with State of Green, an information centre for environmentally friendly initiatives in Denmark.

The group were greeted by Maria Nilaus Tarp, Head of the International Department at the Danish Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Climate; and Hans Peter Slente of Dansk Industri (Energi).

The Shadow Ministers also heard about Copenhagen’s plans to be the first zero-carbon capital city from Jørgen Abildgaard, the city council’s Project Director.
The group visited the nearby combined heat and power station of Avedøreværket, which supplies a large amount of heat supply required the Copenhagen area – 98% of buildings in the city are connected to district heating. This was on the day (2 October) that its owner, Dong Energy, announced its plans to change its name to Orsted, as the company had sold its oil and gas interests to focus on renewable energy.

The visit to the heat and power station was followed by a visit to the Metropolitan Copenhagen Heating Transmission Company (CTR), which takes heat from local power stations and distributes it to local district heating schemes covering much of the city-region.

Later, a group of academics described the Danish Energy Transition towards 2030 and various studies of Denmark’s energy systems compared to other countries.
Finally, the group travelled 60 kilometres to a small village called Borup to see the co-operative district heating plant which heats the community by burning straw bought from local farmers.

On behalf of the organisers, Ian Manders, of the Danish Embassy, said:

“My thanks go to all the people who contributed to the study tour for the British MPs. Our aim was to show how Denmark is well on the road to achieve its ambition to decarbonise energy, and how industry, government and local communities are working together to achieve low-cost, green energy security”.

The Labour MPs attending the study tour

Rebecca Long-Bailey MP, Shadow Secretary of State, Business and Energy department (BEIS)
Bill Esterson MP, Shadow Minister (International Trade) and Shadow Minister (BEIS)
Barry Gardiner MP, Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade & Shadow Minister, Energy and Climate Change, (BEIS)
Alan Whitehead MP, Shadow Minister, Energy (BEIS)
Also on the study tour
Phil Angus, Nottingham Energy Partnership
Miranda Cumberbatch, Nottingham Energy Partnership
Alan Simpson, independent energy consultant
Leo Murray, 10:10

Presentations to the group

Maria Nilaus Tarp, Head of the International Department at the Danish Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Climate
Hans Peter Slente, Dansk Industri (Energi)
Rune Nielsen, Advisor, Danish Energy Agency
Klaus Thostrup, European Affairs Manager, Strategi og Rammevilkår, Energinet ("Denmark’s national grid")
Jørgen Abildgaard, Project Director, Copenhagen City Council
Lars Hansen, Director in Sales, DONG Energy
Natasha Nanuck, Stakeholder Advisor, DONG UK
Gitte Højgaard-Nielsen, Communications Consultant, DONG Energy
Jan Elleriis, Vice-Director, CTR
Eva Jensen, Danish Council on Climate Change
Marie Münster, DTU Management Engineering
Morten Duedahl, Danish Board of District Heating
Torben Hansen, Chief of Operation, Borup Heating Plant


(Photo: Borup village homes are heated with with straw – left to right - Torben Hansen of Borup District Heating Plant, Phil Angus of NEP, Barry Gardiner MP, Rune Nielsen of DEA, Miranda Cumberbatch of NEP, Alan Whitehead MP, Alan Simpson)


(Photo: In front of the heat stores at the Avedøreværket combined heat and power station – left to right – Ian Manders of the Danish Embassy, Barry Gardiner MP, Rebecca Long-Bailey MP, Alan Whitehead MP )

Denmark Energy Study tour by Shadow Ministers

A group of UK Shadow Ministers have just returned from Denmark where they went to see green energy projects and hear from local experts. More than 40 per cent of Denmark’s electricity supply comes from wind power and the plan is to reach 50 per cent by 2020. Denmark aims to be 100 per cent free of fossil fuel by 2050, a target that includes electricity, heating and transport.

The group of Labour MPs included Shadow Secretaries of State and Shadow Cabinet members, Rebecca Long-Bailey and Barry Gardiner and Shadow Ministers Bill Esterson and Dr Alan Whitehead.

The study trip took place between 2-3 October and included sessions on Denmark’s efforts to decarbonise energy, plus examples of how industry and Government work closely together on energy. The visit was organised by the Danish Embassy in London and the Danish Energy Agency, in cooperation with State of Green, an information centre for environmentally friendly initiatives in Denmark.

The group were greeted by Maria Nilaus Tarp, Head of the International Department at the Danish Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Climate; and Hans Peter Slente of Dansk Industri (Energi).

The Shadow Ministers also heard about Copenhagen’s plans to be the first zero-carbon capital city from Jørgen Abildgaard, the city council’s Project Director.
The group visited the nearby combined heat and power station of Avedøreværket, which supplies a large amount of heat supply required the Copenhagen area – 98% of buildings in the city are connected to district heating. This was on the day (2 October) that its owner, Dong Energy, announced its plans to change its name to Orsted, as the company had sold its oil and gas interests to focus on renewable energy.

The visit to the heat and power station was followed by a visit to the Metropolitan Copenhagen Heating Transmission Company (CTR), which takes heat from local power stations and distributes it to local district heating schemes covering much of the city-region.

Later, a group of academics described the Danish Energy Transition towards 2030 and various studies of Denmark’s energy systems compared to other countries.
Finally, the group travelled 60 kilometres to a small village called Borup to see the co-operative district heating plant which heats the community by burning straw bought from local farmers.

On behalf of the organisers, Ian Manders, of the Danish Embassy, said:

“My thanks go to all the people who contributed to the study tour for the British MPs. Our aim was to show how Denmark is well on the road to achieve its ambition to decarbonise energy, and how industry, government and local communities are working together to achieve low-cost, green energy security”.

The Labour MPs attending the study tour

Rebecca Long-Bailey MP, Shadow Secretary of State, Business and Energy department (BEIS)
Bill Esterson MP, Shadow Minister (International Trade) and Shadow Minister (BEIS)
Barry Gardiner MP, Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade & Shadow Minister, Energy and Climate Change, (BEIS)
Alan Whitehead MP, Shadow Minister, Energy (BEIS)
Also on the study tour
Phil Angus, Nottingham Energy Partnership
Miranda Cumberbatch, Nottingham Energy Partnership
Alan Simpson, independent energy consultant
Leo Murray, 10:10

Presentations to the group

Maria Nilaus Tarp, Head of the International Department at the Danish Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Climate
Hans Peter Slente, Dansk Industri (Energi)
Rune Nielsen, Advisor, Danish Energy Agency
Klaus Thostrup, European Affairs Manager, Strategi og Rammevilkår, Energinet ("Denmark’s national grid")
Jørgen Abildgaard, Project Director, Copenhagen City Council
Lars Hansen, Director in Sales, DONG Energy
Natasha Nanuck, Stakeholder Advisor, DONG UK
Gitte Højgaard-Nielsen, Communications Consultant, DONG Energy
Jan Elleriis, Vice-Director, CTR
Eva Jensen, Danish Council on Climate Change
Marie Münster, DTU Management Engineering
Morten Duedahl, Danish Board of District Heating
Torben Hansen, Chief of Operation, Borup Heating Plant


(Photo: Borup village homes are heated with with straw – left to right - Torben Hansen of Borup District Heating Plant, Phil Angus of NEP, Barry Gardiner MP, Rune Nielsen of DEA, Miranda Cumberbatch of NEP, Alan Whitehead MP, Alan Simpson)