Polish-Danish Energy Tie-Up

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POLISH-DANISH ENERGY TIE-UP

Tangible ways to double down on energy efficiency in Poland and the rest of Europe

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POLISH-DANISH ENERGY TIE-UP Tangible ways to double down on energy efficiency in Poland and the rest of Europe January 2024 Front page photo Unsplash Editor in Chief State of Green Contributor Trade Council of Denmark in Warsaw Design Essensen Download this publication Download this and other publications at stateofgreen.com/publications For more information To order copies of this publication or receive more information about other related publications, please contact State of Green at info@stateofgreen.com Copyright notice ©State of Green (2024)

Content Introduction Paving the way for energy efficiency in Poland

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50 years of expertise: How Danish know-how can contribute to reaching

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Poland's energy targets Sound of Green: Designing for sustainability in buildings

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White papers: Discover the Danish approach to energy efficiency

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Solutions Case 1

ROCKWOOL – Securing safety and comfort in the grand

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Europejski Hotel Case 2

VELUX – Living Places: Building low-carbon and more

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sustainable buildings Case 3

Grundfos – Elevating water efficiency at Tauron Arena in Kraków

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Case 4

Linka Group – Decarbonisation through biomass and heat pumps

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Case 5

Energinet – Viking Link: Exchanging green energy flows via the world’s longest power cable

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Case 7

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Danfoss – Leveraging excess heat to accelerate Warsaw’s green transition

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Ramboll – Decarbonisation of Poland’s district heating networks

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Paving the way for energy efficiency in Poland Poland has set targets to unlock the full potential of energy efficiency within the country. And with both national initiatives and EU policies paving the way, the scene is set for a green energy transition.

Poland is one of the fastest-growing economies in Europe, leading to a substantial rise in the demand for energy.

This especially accounts for the energy required to power homes, the production of various goods and services, and water consumption across sectors. Concurrently, energy poverty presents a significant challenge, impacting around 6.58 million people living with insufficient heating, cooling and electricity due to low income, high spending on energy, and low energy efficiency in their home.

In response to these challenges, Poland has shifted its focus towards enhancing energy efficiency initiatives, having made significant progress over the past two decades. With the "Decarbonisation Roadmap 2050", the Polish government has set goals to reduce CO2 emission by 38 percent. Here, energy efficiency plays an important part, for example by the implementation of energy classes for buildings and speeding up the energy renovation wave.

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International directives paving the way for energy efficiency in Europe Energy efficiency plays a pivotal role in securing energy supply, slashing energy prices, as well as supporting the green transition. This is reflected in ambitious targets by the EU. On 10 October 2023, a revised Energy Efficiency Directive came into effect, underscoring EU's commitment to energy efficiency by establishing 'energy efficiency first' as a core principle in its energy policy, uniting sectors across buildings, industries, and utilities. Practically, this mandates that EU countries must consider energy efficiency in all pertinent policy and significant investment decisions across both energy and non-energy sectors.

Additionally, the EU has set an ambitious target to reduce final energy consumption by at least 11.7 percent compared to anticipated usage projections for 2030. This

requires member states to collectively enhance their energy efficiency by an average of 1.3 percent annually until 2025, followed by 1.9 percent per year until 2030.

Energy efficiency plays a pivotal role in securing energy supply, slashing energy prices, as well as supporting the green transition.

Moreover, the EU have dedicated funds to optimise thermo-modernisation of buildings, renewal of street lighting and in advancements of industrial processes.

This initiative opens the door for green partnerships and implementation of energy efficient solutions.

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Creating a just and inclusive energy transition in Poland On a national level, Poland adopted the Energy Policy of Poland until 2040 (EPP2040) in 2021, presenting an ambitious, consistent and responsible approach to the country’s energy transformation. The policy considers changes in the energy mix and emphasises the importance of ensuring energy security and a fair transformation. With the policy, Poland aims to create a just and inclusive energy transition towards a zero-emissions system, aiming at establishing a diverse energy supply.

As outlined in the EPP2040, Poland aims to achieve a minimum of 23 percent renewable electricity in final consumption and reduce primary energy consumption by 23 percent (against 2007 estimates)1. To realise these ambitions, the industrial production and construction sectors in Poland need significant investments in smart resource-efficient solutions.

The Polish-Danish energy tie-up Poland and Denmark have a strong bond and a rich history of partnerships. Poland ranks among Denmark’s top ten export markets, and in the first five months of 2023, the export to Poland significantly increased by 74.6 percent (DKK 24.10 billion) compared to the same period in 2022.

Considering the strong trade relation between the two nations, and the high demand for products, solutions and services within energy efficiency, there is plenty of opportunities for Polish-Danish partnerships that can accelerate the transformation towards modernising energy-heavy industries and improving building standards in Poland.

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+74.6% Poland ranks among Denmark’s top ten export markets, and in the first five months of 2023, the export to Poland significantly increased by 74.6 percent (DKK 24.10 billion) compared to the same period in 2022.

https://www.gov.pl/web/climate/energy-policy-of-poland-until-2040epp2040

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50 years of expertise: How Danish know-how can contribute to reaching Poland's energy targets With a goal of reducing its national greenhouse gas emissions by 70 percent by 2030, energy efficiency plays a crucial role in achieving Denmark’s climate targets.

Therefore, Denmark aims to lead the way in initiatives promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy.

However, on a global scale, Denmark only accounts for 0.1 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. This is why Denmark proactively seeks to contribute to the global green transition outside its borders by creating strong, long-lasting, international collaborations.

With the EU’s legislative framework and Polish green ambitions leading the way, Danish competencies and know-how offer significant potential for partnerships, that can drive energy efficiency forward and facilitate the modernisation of housing, industries and energy systems.

In the following paragraphs, we have gathered four areas where Danish expertise can help fulfil the Polish potential for energy efficiency.

Denmark’s climate ambitions

→ Net-zero by 2050 → Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by

50-54 percent by 2025 and 70 percent in 2030

Optimising energy efficiency and decarbonising the building stock Approximately 85 percent of the structures, we anticipate inhabiting by 2050, have already been constructed.

Addressing the energy usage of buildings stands as a key priority for countries and communities striving to reduce their CO2 emissions. Establishing energy efficiency as the foundational norm for construction and renovation is crucial, as lower energy demands translate into lower energy generation.

Energy efficiency has been an embedded part of Denmark’s mindset for decades, as Denmark has worked with energy

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efficiency measures since the 1970s. With different policies, initiatives and instruments implemented, spanning from normative, informative, and economic purposes, Denmark has proved that decoupling economic growth from an increase in energy consumption is possible.

Standing on the shoulders of this legacy, Danish companies provide world-class solutions and technologies for insulation, windows, data control systems and architecture that make sustainable energy renovation projects possible. These innovative solutions, developed by both the public and private sector, have made Denmark a frontrunner in the field.

99.99% Since 1990, the Danish security of electricity supply has been stable at 99.99 percent.

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Turning energy-intensive industries resource efficient Energy-intensive industries, like food and beverage, contribute to more than 20 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions, straining energy and water resources. The food and beverage sector alone consumes 30 percent of global industrial energy.

As an important tool to address these challenges, the implementation of energy-efficient solutions is essential.

By optimising energy usage and reducing waste, especially in energy-heavy industries, companies can achieve significant cost savings and secure sustainable resource consumption, while enhancing their market competitiveness and improving operational efficiency.

Danish food and beverage producers have been refining their methods to produce more with less for a number of years now. From the end of 1960s, the production value of the Danish food industry has gone up by over 80 percent while the energy consumption from food production has reduced with over 20 percent. Whether it is solutions that entails switching to a greener energy supply or harvesting the potential in surplus energy and water resources that would otherwise have been wasted, Danish solution providers cover it all.

Implementing and expanding district heating networks By moving energy in water with a valuable temperature, from a place of production to a place of consumption, district energy can be used to secure an energy-efficient heating and cooling supply through a collective system.

TANGIBLE WAYS TO DOUBLE DOWN ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN POLAND AND THE REST OF EUROPE

FACTS

Denmark’s energy efficiency in numbers 1. More than 80 percent of Denmark’s electricity consumption is based on renewable energy, enabled by a smart, flexible energy system that integrates systems across gas, electricity, thermal energy and transportation.

2. With very few interruptions, the Danish supply quality is greater than in other European countries. In fact, since 1990 the Danish security of supply has been stable at 99.99 percent, which corresponds to an average consumer being without electricity for around 40 minutes a year.

3. From the end of 1960s, the production value of the Danish food industry has gone up by over 80 percent while the energy consumption from food production has reduced with over 20 percent.

4. Around 66 percent (approximately 1.7 million) of Danish households are supplied with district heating. The goal is to supply 75 percent of Danish households with district heating.

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District energy not only reduces carbon emissions from the heating and cooling sector but also supports the integration of renewable energy sources, enhances energy efficiency and ensures a reliable and sustainable energy supply. This has made district energy a linchpin in Denmark’s strategy to meet its climate goals.

With the passage of the first heat supply law back in 1979, Danish stakeholders have forged a robust framework over the years, which facilitated the implementation of district heating and simultaneously enabled the acquisition of four decades of invaluable expertise along the way.

This has spurred a number of companies specialising in cutting-edge technologies with comprehensive competencies across the entire spectrum of district energy systems’ value chains.

Securing a stable, efficient and smart energy system To maintain a well-balanced energy system with increasing amounts of fluctuating energy sources like wind and solar, it is essential to adapt a smart energy system that can help balance consumption with production.

81.4 percent of Denmark’s electricity consumption is based on renewable energy, enabled by a smart, flexible energy system that integrates systems across gas, electricity, thermal energy and transportation. This also implies solving challenges of storage of electricity, as well as using smart, digital solutions and data to ensure reliable and green energy for cities and societies.

Danish technology and know-how in the field of smart energy systems are applied not only in Denmark but all over the world. Moreover, Denmark’s approach to creating a stable, efficient energy system is ideal for large-scale tests of power grids through living labs and advanced research facilities.

DISCOVER

stateofgreen.com Want to discover more about Denmark’s ­­strong­­holds within energy efficiency? Go to stateofgreen. com – your entry point to Denmark’s green transition and one-stop-shop to solution providers, driving the global transition to a sustainable, ­ low-carbon and resource-efficient society.

Learn more at stateofgreen.com →

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Sound of Green: Designing for sustainability in buildings Interested in learning more about the Danish approach to energy efficiency? Sound of Green, a podcast by State of Green, offers insights and perspectives on the global challenge of reducing energy consumption and promoting sustainable development the Danish way.

In the podcast series Sound of Green, we take a deep-dive on energy efficiency in the building stock. You will get a chance to hear the tale of the Danish approach to energy efficiency, the country’s history and how energy efficiency in Denmark is strongly connected to health and liveability.

With insights from the Danish Energy Agency, and Danish solution providers VELUX and COWI, this episode provides a view into how policy and regulatory frameworks, innovative technologies and public-private partnerships can be used to promote energy efficiency and address global challenges.

LISTEN

Sound of Green Curious to know more about Denmark’s ­energy-efficient building stock?

Conveyed in a short, accesible format, you can find Sound of Green on your favorite podcast app.

Listen to Sound of Green’s podcast episode here →

TANGIBLE WAYS TO DOUBLE DOWN ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN POLAND AND THE REST OF EUROPE

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White papers: Discover the Danish approach to energy efficiency Learn more about Denmark’s approach to secure energy efficiency throughout its building stock and industries. Dive into our white papers to discover know-how, insights and tangible solutions from public and private solution providers.

Energy efficiency is one of the easiest ways to eliminate energy waste, cut energy costs and decrease the reliance on fossil fuels. There is great potential for efficiency improvements in every sector, whether it is buildings or industry. Energy efficiency is an embedded part of Denmark’s mindset, as Denmark has worked with energy efficiency measures since the 1970s.

Whether it is about realising the potential of energy efficiency in buildings, securing more resource-efficient industries or discovering green heating and cooling through district energy, our white papers provide valuable knowledge and practical solutions across sectors.

Together with public and private partners, State of Green has gathered insights and perspectives promoting Danish know-how and experiences from the green transition, while showcasing green solutions from Danish solution providers.

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DISCOVER

White papers on energy efficiency Denmark has worked with energy efficiency measures since the 1970s. Read our white papers filled with know-how and tangible solutions on topics such as building renovation of buildings, resource-efficient industries or district energy.

Discover the white papers at stateofgreen.com →

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TANGIBLE WAYS TO DOUBLE DOWN ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN POLAND AND THE REST OF EUROPE

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Cases

Energy efficient solutions – nationally and globally Standing on the shoulders of a 50-year-old legacy, Danish companies are experts in designing solutions and technologies to accelerate energy efficiency across sectors.

This includes everything from reducing energy usage and waste in energy-heavy industries to the expansion of district heating networks throughout cities, as well as ensuring energy-efficient standards and high-quality renovations of older buildings.

CASE 1 • ROCKWOOL SECURING SAFETY AND COMFORT IN THE GRAND EUROPEJSKI HOTEL PAGE 14

CASE 2 • VELUX LIVING PLACES: BUILDING LOW-CARBON AND MORE SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS

CASE 3 • GRUNDFOS ELEVATING WATER EFFICIENCY AT TAURON ARENA IN KRAKÓW

CASE 4 • LINKA GROUP DECARBONISATION THROUGH BIOMASS AND HEAT

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CASE 5 • ENERGINET VIKING LINK: EXCHANGING GREEN ENERGY FLOWS VIA THE WORLD’S LONGEST POWER CABLE

CASE 6 • DANFOSS LEVERAGING EXCESS HEAT TO ACCELERATE WARSAW’S GREEN TRANSITION

CASE 7 • RAMBOLL DECARBONISATION OF POLAND’S DISTRICT HEATING NETWORKS PAGE 26

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CASE 1 ROCKWOOL TAG INSULATION IN BUILDINGS LOCATION WARSAW, POLAND

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Securing safety and comfort in the grand Europejski Hotel

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PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK

Challenge The renovation of Raffles Europejski Warsaw, also known as Hotel Europejski, was a massive undertaking aimed at restoring the historic building to its former glory while ensuring the ultimate safety and comfort of guests. The challenge was to find the perfect insulation material that could meet the building's unique requirements and protect against fire, noise and energy loss.

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Solution

Additionally, stone wool provides perfect insulation against interior sounds and exterior traffic noise, contributing to the overall feeling of luxury in the hotel.

The inherent insulation properties of ROCKWOOL products also ensure energy savings for decades to come, retaining their thermal properties for at least 60 years and having excellent dimensional stability.

PHOTO: UNSPLASH

Result Hotel Europejski now boasts restored 109,000 m² of space, including 106 hotel rooms, 3,000 m² of luxurious retail space and 7,000 m² of offices. The stone wool insulation materials used in the renovation provide a peaceful and luxurious atmosphere for guests and employees, while also ensuring their safety in the event of a fire. The insulation materials will also provide energy savings for decades to come, making the renovation a smart investment for the future.

TANGIBLE WAYS TO DOUBLE DOWN ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN POLAND AND THE REST OF EUROPE

PHOTO: ROCKWOOL

SUD Architects opted for ROCKWOOL Superrock, Toprock Super and Rockfon insulation materials to insulate the roof and ceilings of the building. These materials were chosen because they are made of stone wool, which can withstand temperatures above 1000°C, preventing fire from spreading onto subsequent floors and increasing the time available for evacuating guests while also protecting the building.

About ROCKWOOL transforms volcanic rock into stone wool and its products contribute to address many of society’s biggest climate change challenges, creating new opportunities to enrich modern living and build safer, healthier and more climate resilient communities.

Discover ROCKWOOL at stateofgreen.com

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CASE 2 VELUX TAG INDOOR AIR QUALITY LOCATION COPENHAGEN, DENMARK

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Living Places: Building low-carbon and more sustainable buildings

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PHOTO: VELUX

Challenge Living Places is a new way of thinking about how to build in the future. The project by VELUX explores how the building industry can support the health of the people and the planet through building design that is scalable, affordable and commercially viable. It arose by looking at the most common Danish home and asking how materials, construction, utilities and architecture could be rethought towards building homes with less impact on the planet. The goal is to build within the Science Based Targets Initiative limit of 1.5°C degree rise in global temperatures.

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To document the environmental impact of a building’s life cycle from design, manufacturing, use and maintenance, to renovation and demolition, The Compass Model, a Life Cycle Assessments calculator, was developed to enable, enabling an assessment of materials already in the design phase.

Seven building prototypes have been produced and is constructed with materials having low or positive CO2 impact and a focus on design for disassembly, reuse, and recycling. These materials include wood fiber insulation and screw pile foundations. The prototypes boast the lowest CO2 emissions in Denmark.

Living Places seeks to create a housing typology that is affordable to build at scale and healthy to live in, with an ultralow carbon footprint — using only current technology and materials.

It aims to lead the way within the building industry and show how rethinking buildings can help solve some global climate and health challenges.

Result

Living Places seeks to create a housing typology that is affordable to build at scale and healthy to live in, with an ultra-low carbon footprint — using only current technology and materials. It aims to lead the way within the building industry and show how rethinking buildings can help solve some global climate and health challenges.

PHOTO: VELUX

Solution

The blueprint for Living Places considers the elements of sustainable living in a holistic manner; daylight, biorhythms, acoustics, air quality, thermal environment and the relation to the surrounding nature are all interwoven and incorporated in the design.

Living Places Copenhagen has a CO2 footprint that is three times smaller than the average Danish one-family house. The project has been awarded a best-in-class indoor climate for its use of daylight and fresh air and demonstrates that we do not have to wait for future technology to build more sustainably now.

Owner: Architects: Engineers: Contractors: Landowners:

TANGIBLE WAYS TO DOUBLE DOWN ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN POLAND AND THE REST OF EUROPE

VELUX Group EFFEKT Artelia Enemærke & Petersen DSB

About For more than 80 years, the VELUX Group has created better indoor environments by bringing daylight and fresh air into homes and other buildings all over the world. The VELUX Group was founded in Denmark and is today an international company with a presence in more than 40 countries.

Discover VELUX at stateofgreen.com

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CASE 3 GRUNDFOS TAG WATER EFFICIENCY LOCATION KRAKÓW, POLAND

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Elevating water efficiency at Tauron Arena in Kraków

Challenge

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PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK

One of Europe's largest indoor arenas, Tauron Arena Kraków, is a brightly lit, spaceship-looking building, which hosts concerts, figure skating, extreme sports, martial arts, trade fairs and more near the centre of Kraków, Poland.

The arena opened in 2014 and can host up to between 15,000 to 22,000 visitors at events. This proposes various demands to ensure comfort and safety for the visitors.

Moreover, maintaining accessibility to all water points, especially during packed events, poses a specific demand

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Solution To tackle these challenges, the designers of the arena teamed up with Grundfos, which supplied and implemented water pumps throughout the arena.

Grundfos Multi Hydro-E booster system, MAGNA3 circulators and TPE3 pumps were chosen to optimise water flow and supply while enhancing energy efficiency and saving space at the same time.

“The monitoring system encompasses the connection to the building management system and a local system based on mobile apps. This enables a direct reading of the pumps’ technical parameters. This, in turn, saves us considerable time and energy, which is essential for the entire workings of the hall.”

Furthermore, the implementation of data monitoring through Grundfos Go mobile app on tablets, streamlines pump monitoring and data management, providing a comprehensive system overview for the arena. The integrated monitoring system, connecting to the building management and local control systems, significantly improves operational efficiency.

PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK

for optimal pump performance, so that guests can be able to take advantage of the entire water and heating systems of the arena.

“The monitoring system encompasses the connection to the building management system and a local system based on mobile apps. This enables a direct reading of the pumps’ technical parameters. This, in turn, saves us considerable time and energy, which is essential for the entire workings of the hall.” says Krystian Sobota, Director of Technical Services, Tauron Arena Kraków.

Result During packed events, where seamless functionality is non-negotiable, Grundfos provides full specifications and technical parameters to ensure optimal performance of water and HVAC systems. Beyond reliability, these pumps contribute to considerable energy savings, a critical factor during large-scale events that demand efficient water usage.

Implementation of the water pumps not only reduces energy consumption but also translates into substantial cost savings and minimised maintenance efforts. With Grundfos pumps, the Tauron Arena Kraków experiences a seamless blend of optimal performance, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness.

TANGIBLE WAYS TO DOUBLE DOWN ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN POLAND AND THE REST OF EUROPE

About Grundfos is a global water technology company committed to pioneering solutions to the world’s water and climate challenges and improving the quality of life for people. An annual production of more than 17 million pump units makes Grundfos one of the world’s leading pump manufacturers.

Discover Grundfos at stateofgreen.com

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CASE 4 LINKA GROUP TAG DISTRICT HEATING LOCATION EGTVED, DENMARK

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Decarbonisation through biomass and heat pumps

Challenge

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PHOTO: LINKA GROUP

Egtved Varmeværk is a Danish district heating plant located in the town of Egtved in the Region of Southern Denmark.

The plant provides centralised heating to the local community, distributing hot water or steam to residential and commercial buildings for space heating and domestic hot water.

The plant set a goal to not only decarbonise its operations; it also aspires to provide consumers with the most competitive prices, expand its fuel options and implement a robust, forward-looking integrated system, while ensuring operational safety.

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With considerations for the project starting back in 2009, and some assistance from Danish District Heating Association, the choice fell upon Linka Group due to their ability to deliver a solution containing a high level of flexibility and security.

Linka Group provided a solution containing a fully automated combination plant consisting of a 2 MW biomass plant as well as a 2,1 MW heat pump system, with a focus on user-friendliness and a healthy work environment for the operating staff.

Egtved’s district heating plant transitioned to a sustainable energy solution by adopting a diverse range of renewable biomass resources, such as wood chips, straws, grains and seed husks. This shift ensured a dependable and ecofriendly energy source. The introduction of this integrated system brought about a synergy between biomass and the heat pump which offered flexibility in energy utilisation.

14,000 In 2021, Egtved Varmeværk's district heating plant reduced its annual CO2 emissions by 14,000 tonnes

In relation not the transition, Anders Rønshof, Chairman of Egtved Varmeværk stated: “It was important for us to have a future-proof heating plant with the highest possible environmental profile and not just a boiler to burn wood chips.”

A multiple choice of biomass could be employed during periods of high electricity prices, while the heat pump could efficiently operate when electricity prices were lower, thus optimising energy costs.

PHOTO: LINKA GROUP

Solution

The collaboration between biomass, the heat pump, and the existing solar thermal plant enabled the district heating water to attain higher temperatures than what would have been achieved with a heat pump in isolation.

Result In 2021, Egtved Varmeværk's district heating plant reduced its annual CO2 emissions by 14,000 tonnes. This achievement was made possible while maintaining a steadfast commitment to operational safety. Moreover, in the subsequent year of operation, the Egtved heating plant effectively lowered the average consumer price for heat.

The innovative multifuel biomass and heat pump solution introduced by Linka Group not only contributed to a substantial reduction in carbon emissions but, when combined with the existing solar thermal plant, also delivered a level of flexibility and reliability in energy generation.

TANGIBLE WAYS TO DOUBLE DOWN ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN POLAND AND THE REST OF EUROPE

About Linka Group are experts in the innovative technical development, optimisation and operational support of energy plants for our future. Having built more than 5,000 plants worldwide, Linka Group provides one of the broadest product ranges in the industry and offer biomass boiler systems for all professional purposes.

Discover Linka Group at stateofgreen.com

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CASE 5 ENERGINET TAG SMART GRID LOCATION THE NORTH SEA, THE UK AND DENMARK

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Viking Link: Exchanging green energy flows via the world’s longest power cable

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PHOTO: ENERGINET

Challenge The transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources is crucial in the global push towards decarbonisation. All across the world, countries are actively striving to establish a sustainable supply of green energy in order to reach net zero emissions by 2050. However, to sustain an energy system centered on renewables, governments must prioritise ensuring costeffective, uninterrupted power flows in order to maintain widespread support for energy systems built around renewables.

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Solution Beginning back in 2019, the Viking Link project involved intricate construction of converter sites, onshore and offshore cable installations, and their connection to

FACTS

Viking Link: The world’s longest interconnector: • Viking Link stretches 765 km across the North Sea, making it the longest power cable in the world exchanging green energy between the UK and Denmark • The project is a joint venture between the National Grid from the UK and Danish system operator, Energinet • Viking Link can provide enough electricity to power 2.5 million homes • Expected to save approximately 600.000 tonnes of carbon emissions – equivalent to taking roughly 280.000 cars off the road.

substations of the shores of both Denmark and the UK. The 1400 MW high voltage direct current (DC) electricity link of the cable seamlessly integrates the British and Danish transmission systems at key substations in southern Jutland, Denmark, and Lincolnshire, England, respectively.

Viking Link, which is a partnership between the British National Grid and the Danish system operator, Energinet, enables surplus energy generated from wind turbines and solar cells to be exchanged and not go to waste, providing access to a broader energy mix for both Denmark and the UK. The interconnectors provide an effective way to manage fluctuations in supply and demand, thus supporting the use of renewable energy.

PHOTO: ENERGINET

With these challenges in mind, the UK and Denmark teamed up to connect the two countries' energy grids by building the world’s longest interconnector named “Viking Link”.

Result On 29 December 2023, the switch was turned on enabling the first green electricity to flow between the UK and Denmark. Stretching a record 756 km across the North Sea, Viking Link is the world’s longest land and subsea interconnector. Viking Link plays a crucial part in the EU’s strategy to secure energy supply, by ensuring reliable, clean and affordable energy for both Denmark and Great Britain. The interconnector will enable more effective use of renewable energy, access to sustainable electricity generation and improved security of electricity supplies, while also adding socioeconomic benefits for both countries. The implementation paves the way for a greener, interconnected energy system in the future.

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About Energinet is an independent public enterprise owned by the Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities. Energinet owns, operates and develops the transmission systems for electricity and natural gas in Denmark, working to ensure, that the Danish energy system and the grids are prepared to a future with 100% green energy.

Discover Energinet at stateofgreen.com

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CASE 6 DANFOSS TAG EXCESS HEAT LOCATION WARSAW, POLAND

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Leveraging excess heat to accelerate Warsaw’s green transition Challenge

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PHOTO: DANFOSS

Poland is a powerhouse of European energy. With the fifth largest energy sector in the European Union (EU), Poland produces more than 4.2 million terajoules (TJ) of energy – double that of Belgium and four times that of Hungary1.

However, due in part to the historical significance of the coal industry in the region, Poland also has the highest share of coal in total energy supply and demand of all International Energy Agency (IEA) member countries2.

To address this, the Polish government has adopted the Energy Policy of Poland until 2040 (EPP2040), a

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Solution Every time an engine or motor runs, it generates heat. Industries, wastewater facilities, data centers, supermarkets, metro stations, and commercial buildings all generate large amounts of energy, only some of which is used to productively carry out the intended task. The rest, however, simply dissipates into thin air as excess heat. This excess heat is a sleeping giant of energy efficiency.

Excess heat, if captured, can be recirculated through district heating networks to heat buildings, homes, and water. In Warsaw, this can go a long way in helping the city transition away from its carbon-intensive energy mix and accelerate the uptake of renewables. One such project currently being explored for application is the Warsaw Metro System.

Metro systems have many sources of excess heat, such as motors for fans and air conditioners, or even the movement and braking of the train cars themselves. In fact, in Warsaw, a combined 62 GWh of heat are being wasted annually from the dozens of metro stations situated around the city – equivalent to the heating demand for the homes of 14,000

Polish people for one year. By installing heat pumps at the metro stations and connecting them to the district heating grid, this can help heat the city and reduce the load on its carbon-intensive combined heat and power (CHP) plants.

Result Danfoss has conducted an initial analysis of the environmental potential of capturing and repurposing the excess heat from Warsaw’s metro system. Today, the city’s heat is delivered mainly from burning coal and gas, which leaves a tremendous climate footprint and air pollution.

But if Warsaw captures and uses the excess heat from the metro, the burning of fossil fuels from the city’s main CHPs – Siekierki and Żerań – can be reduced. And if this reduced supply of electricity resulting from reducing CHP output is supplemented with low-emission electricity such as solar or wind, Warsaw can save about 42,000 tons of CO2e per year. That is equivalent to the annual carbon footprint of about 6,300 Polish citizens.

While this is only an initial analysis, a potential feasibility study is currently being explored to calculate the exact potential and to identify the most promising metro stations for early application. If successful, the study is expected to be completed by mid-2025.

IEA (2020). Total Energy Supply by Region – Europe.

IEA (2022). Executive Summary – Poland.

3 Polish Ministry of Climate and Environment (2021). Energy Policy for Poland until 2040.

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PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK

comprehensive agenda for creating a just transition to a zero-emission energy system. One key target of the EPP2040 is to reduce the country’s reliance on coal, aiming “to meet heating demand for all households in a zero- or low-emission manner.3”

About Danfoss the world’s growing cities, Danfoss technologies ensure the supply of fresh food and optimal comfort in our homes and offices, while meeting the need for energy efficient infrastructure, connected systems and integrated renewable energy. Danfoss solutions are used in areas such as refrigeration, air conditioning, heating, motor control and mobile machinery.

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CASE 7 RAMBOLL TAG DECARBONISATION STRATEGY AND CONSULTING LOCATION WARSAW, POLAND

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Decarbonisation of Poland’s district heating networks Challenge

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PHOTO: RAMBOLL

Veolia is one of Poland's major heat generators and suppliers, supplying district heat to a large percentage of Polish households. This includes, among other, Veolia term, whose district heating networks cover a number of cities and towns throughout the country. However, like in most of Poland's energy sector, those local facilities carry the burden of the past: in 2020, nearly 90 percent of Veolia term's heat generation assets outside of big cities operated on coal.

With the advent of Poland's new energy policy, so-called PPE40, and the European Green Deal aimed at reaching climate neutrality in the EU by 2050, it became mandatory and more pressing than ever to implement green transition in Veolia's almost 50 local district heating plants throughout the country, while keeping in mind the varied local conditions and economic challenges.

POLISH-DANISH ENERGY TIE-UP

Solution

Result

In 2020 Ramboll Poland assisted Veolia with the developing a decarbonisation strategy for Veolia's Polish district heating assets. While the modernisation of district heating networks themselves would remain with in the expertise of Veolia, Ramboll was entrusted with the task to analyse all the systems from the energy generation point of view, focusing on fuels that can replace coal, best suited to each district heating plant and still ensuring economic viability of the transformation, both for Veolia and for the end consumers.

The study indicated that it would be possible to completely phase out coal in Veolia's Polish heat generation assets by 2030, using a mix of target and transition-phase fuels to ensure the security and flexibility of heat supply along with economic feasibility. This paves the road for reaching complete climate neutrality by 2050, with transition fuels to be replaced at the later stages with new alternative technologies that would have by that time reached the technical, regulatory, and economic maturity. The solution included a focus on improving variability and flexibility, both in terms of fuels and technologies and in terms of income sources suggesting incorporating cogeneration into some of the systems.

With over 30 years of experience in energy transition within the heat and power sector, Ramboll's Polish engineers compiled an overview of over thirty technologies and variants of non-emission or low-emission fuel types and technologies that could be applied in phasing out coal, either as target solutions or as transition fuels. These included a variety of options based on natural gas, biogas, biomass, RDF, heat pumps, waste heat use, black pellets, solar collectors, electrode boilers, heat accumulators, hydrogen, geothermal sources and ORC. In the next step they narrowed down the list to the options that were technically and economically viable in 2020. Then came the arduous task of analysing the local conditions for each of the 48 heat generation plants, taking into account the heat demand in the area, heat market forecasts, plant's operation profile, existing modernisation plans, fuel acqui­ sition and transport possibilities etc. against the legal and regulatory background, and creating detailed technical con­ cepts and business plans for each heat generation facility.

In addition, Veolia received 48 ready-made business plans mapping the course of action to be taken at each facility, with expected CAPEX and OPEX, and a realistic time schedule to facilitate each transformation project.

In 2021 work towards implementing decarbonisation programmes started in Veolia terms and the processes are currently ongoing in most of the plants.

As climate legislation constantly improves in both Europe and Poland, Ramboll Poland was contracted to prepare an updated version of Veolia's decarbonisation strategy in 2023. The updated plan should reflect current regulations and conditions and to ensure that Veolia can stay ahead of any changes that may impact the important process of reaching climate neutrality in Poland.

TANGIBLE WAYS TO DOUBLE DOWN ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN POLAND AND THE REST OF EUROPE

PHOTO: RAMBOLL

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About Ramboll is a global architecture, engineering, and consultancy company, with more than 18,500 experts globally delivering standalone and multidisciplinary solutions across Buildings, Transport, Energy, Environment & Health, Water, Management Consulting and Architecture & Landscape.

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