From September 26 to 30, 2022, a group of 12 participants completed a productive study visit in Denmark and Germany. The program began with a visit to AffaldPlus, a waste management company owned by six municipalities. AffaldPlus processes around 400,000 tons of waste each year, preparing 1,500 tons for reuse and thermally processing about 195,000 tons. Participants learned about AffaldPlus’s energy initiatives through a detailed presentation, followed by a guided tour of the facility.
On September 27, the group visited Heliac, a solar technology company specializing in high-temperature, CO2-free process heat. Established in 2014, Heliac produces reflective lenses to efficiently capture and utilize sunlight. During the tour, Mr. Niels Van Der Veer shared insights into Heliac’s heating processes and discussed the company’s future energy efficiency improvements. Later that day, the participants visited Norfors, a waste management facility established in 1965, which supplies heat to around 200,000 homes and 3,600 apartments. The tour included an overview of health safety practices and the specialized treatment of hazardous waste.
The following days highlighted additional innovations in renewable energy. On September 28, participants explored Hashoejbiogas, a biogas plant operational since 1994, noted for its efficiency despite using older technology. On September 29, the group visited the international WindEnergy Hamburg expo, where they engaged with around 1,400 companies and attended a panel on European hydrogen regulations. On the final day, a panel on Offshore Wind and Renewable Hydrogen provided insights into investment trends and offshore capacity. A tour of Offshore Windpark Nordergründe concluded the program, showcasing TenneT’s grid connection that efficiently transports 111 megawatts of wind power to the mainland.