AffaldVarme Aarhus, the municipality owned energy utility for Aarhus, Denmark's second largest city, has inaugurated a new 110 MW biomass-fired combined heat and power (CHP) plant at its Lisbjerg energy complex. The approximately DKK 1.3 billion (≈ EUR 174.7 million) investment is a major step towards the city's goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2030.
The Biomassfyret Kraftvarmeværk A/S is built on the existing Lisbjerg site which also houses one of Denmark’s largest waste management facilities – around 670 000 tonnes per annum of municipal solid waste (MSW) is processed of which 225 000 tonnes thermally treated in three lines providing district heat and power. The new biomass plant uses locally sourced straw and woodchips.
The investment, one of the largest construction projects the municipality has seen in recent years, is part of the green switch in Aarhus to become carbon dioxide (CO2) neutral by 2030. Together with the wood pellet heat from Ørsted (formerly DONG Energy) Studstrupværket, Aarhus is now self-sufficient with green energy.
The inauguration is a highlight for Aarhus’s strong position on the green front, where Denmark’s second largest city marks the biggest Danish conversion to green energy. Together with the green energy from Studstrupverket and the new biomass-fired CHP, we now have enough electricity and heat to cover the Aarhusian consumption, said Kristian Würtz, Chief Municipal Executive for Aarhus Technical and Environmental Council.
