Presentation by Leire Gorroño-Albizu, PhD Fellow, Sustainable Energy Planning Research Group, Aalborg University at the World Wind Energy Association webinar, 30 April 2020

1. Community Energy in Denmark
L . G o r r o ñ o - A l b i z u
D e p a r t m e n t o f P l a n n i n g
A a l b o r g U n i v e r s i t y
This project has received funding from the
European Union's Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under the Marie
Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No:
765515.
The content reflects only the authors’ view and the
Research Executive Agency is not responsible for any
use that may be made of the information it contains

2. 1. CITIZEN OWNERSHIP AND
COMMUNITY ENERGY IN DENMARK

3. The Danish Energy
System in Figures
70% CO2 reduction by 2030
In 2018, renewable energy supplied 36.7% of the total
energy demand
In 2019, 47% of the electricity demand was covered by
wind power
64% of the households are connected to district heating
systems
In 2018, heat pumps only accounted for 0.1% of the DH
demand!!!
Source: Energinet’s website. 13:15, 28 April 2020.

4. How Much Citizen
Ownership is There
in Denmark?
In Dec 2016,
52% of the total installed wind capacity
had citizen ownership
96% of the DH demand was supplied
by municipal companies and
consumer cooperatives
OPEN ACCESS ARTICLE
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2019.101231

5. Important differences exist
between citizen ownership
models. We should not
expect the same outcomes
from all models.
Figure 2: Danish citizen ownership categories and their connection with Danish
citizen ownership models. The ownership of energy infrastructure and utility
companies may consist of several citizen ownership models. Consequently, the
ownership may be formed by a combination of different citizen ownership
categories. Note that prosumers traditionally have been individual owners, but
opportunities for collective prosumers are emerging and will create changes to
this ownership model [54]. When reading the diagram, note that the categories
are represented in boxes and that there are no axes with units showing a higher
or lower degree within the category.

6. 2. INNOVATION IN COMMUNITY
OWNERSHIP

7. Challenges for
Onshore Wind Power
Increasing shares of onshore wind power and other
forms of variable renewable energy results in:
Greater local opposition
Lower market prices (the merit-order-effect)
Curtailment due to grid congestions
Source: S. Djørup, J.Z. Thellufsen, P. Sorknæs, The electricity market in a renewable
energy system, Energy. 162 (2018) 148–157. doi:10.1016/j.energy.2018.07.100.
LCOE of onshore
wind in DK
Solution:
Sector integration
Policies?
Organisational
characteristics?
Location?

8. In August 2018, in a general assembly,
the consumer-owned DH company in
the town of Hvide Sande decided to
purchase the local wind turbines.
Two reasons:
1. The economy of the wind turbines
2. The green values of the DH company (natural
gas used for heating in moments when the
local wind turbines are curtailed and the
electric boiler is stopped!!)
OPEN ACCESS ARTICLE
https://doi.org/10.3390/en13061508
?
What are the benefits of the co-ownership of wind
turbines and DH systems? How does the location
influence? How do the current Danish policies and
regulations encourage/discourage co-ownership
solutions? …

9. Organisational
Challenges
Reduce overinvestments in the electricity grid
Reduce local opposition to wind turbines
Increase the attractiveness of investments in wind
turbines and power-to-heat in DH

10. The (Theoretical) Benefits of the
Co-ownership Solution
In combination with the local cross-sector integration case, the co-ownership solution could
(theoretically) provide several benefits:
reduction of overinvestments in grid expansion and reinforcement,
improved economic attractiveness of wind turbines and P2H units,
improved utilisation of local wind power,
reduction of burning of fuels,
better economy for the local DH consumers,
better economy for the local electricity consumers, and
improved local acceptance of wind turbines.
Ultimately, this ownership model could have the potential to accelerate the implementation of a renewable
energy system with integrated energy sectors.

11. Limitations for the Implementation of the
Co-ownership Solution with Local Integration
The role and possibilities of electricity grid
operators
Electricity grid tariffs and taxes
The design of the electricity spot market
The lack of targeted incentives for local
cross-sector integration

12. Fossil fuel
energy
system
Renewable
energy system
with integrated
sectors
Fundamental changes in the
technical characteristics
Redesign the institutional conditions
Reconsider the organisation of the
energy system

13. Future Perspectives for Research on
Ownership and Smart Energy Systems
What are the implications of the co-ownership solution for DH and electricity
consumers?
Would single-sector energy companies benefit from transitioning to cross-sector
energy companies?
?

14. 3. COMMUNITY ENERGY IN TIMES
OF CRISIS

15. Community energy, understood as local and inclusive citizen ownership of energy, may help to develop
more resilient communities and more just societies through
participatory and democratic decision-making
distribution of benefits, incl. common good projects (local development and job creation, addressing energy
poverty…)
reinforcement of local business and personal relationships
…
The positive dynamics created in community energy projects may be beneficial to address the challenges of our
societies beyond energy or climate issues.

16. Thank you for your attention!
L . G o r r o ñ o - A l b i z u
l g a @ p l a n . a a u . d k
D e p a r t m e n t o f P l a n n i n g
A a l b o r g U n i v e r s i t y
This project has received funding from the
European Union's Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under the Marie
Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No:
765515.
The content reflects only the authors’ view and the
Research Executive Agency is not responsible for any
use that may be made of the information it contains