Since the first energy plan was accepted by The Parliament in 1976, Denmark has had a stable and strong energy policy. The Danish Heat Supply Act, which was passed in 1979, has been the key to the implementation of this policy and thus to the significant CO2 emission reductions in the Danish heating sector.

The strategy Heat Plan Denmark in 2008 and 2010 showed the important role of district heating. The Energy Policy Agreement in 2012 was the first step towards a heating and power sector independant of fossil fuels before 2035. The analysis elaborated by the Danish Energy Agency showed in 2014 that further strategic energy planning for integrating electricity, district heating (and cooling), and natural gas is vital for a cost effective implementation of this energy policy.

Therefore we have almost 40 years’ experience in Denmark in urban heat planning in which district heating and natural gas networks are developed in a low cost way by zoning districts for each heat form - district heating, block heating, individual natural gas boilers, or heat pumps.

Moreover the plans have identified the most profitable and environmentally friendly heat sources for the district heating in combination with district cooling and the rest of the energy system.

Ramboll as the leading consultant
Ramboll has been a leading consultant in Denmark within this field for 45 years from the first large district heating grids and very first heat plan for the city of Aarhus in 1980 to a number of ongoing heat plan activities in close co-operation with municipalities and heat suppliers. Moreover, we have in the past 25 years transferred this experience to more than 30 countries, offering our services to national and local authorities as well as some of the world largest energy utilities.

Currently our activities are intensified due to the increasing focus on and awareness of our climate and because Denmark is well known as a leading country in the world for cost-effective CO2 reductions in the heating sector.

Our experience shows that we serve our clients’ demands in the best way by anchoring our planning services in the relevant service areas. This ensures that our planners will develop realistic and applicable plans in close contact with the designers, who implement the plans.