Gigantic energy park in West Jutland to produce over one million tonnes of green fuel per year
GreenGo Energy and Ringkøbing-Skjern municipality have teamed up to establish a large-scale, billion-krone energy park “Megaton” east of Tarm in West Jutland.
Every year, 4 GW of solar and wind energy is to be converted via electrolysis into over one million tonnes of green fuel for trucks, ships, and aircraft in a facility with an electrolysis capacity of 2 GW.
2 GW out of the total 4 GW will come from offshore wind, and the rest from onshore solar and wind energy.
“With the Megaton project and the development of one of the world’s largest energy parks in Western Jutland, we will once again put Denmark on the world map as a leader in the transition to 100% green power and the green fuels that are necessary to achieve the global climate goals towards 2050,” GreenGo Energy CEO Karsten Nielsen said at the presentation of the Megaton project last Tuesday.
The electricity for fuel production must be sent via direct lines from the production sites to the Megaton energy park next to the town of Tarm, where it will be converted into green fuel near the future 400 kV substation Stovstrup.
The total investment in the Megaton project is expected to be around DKK 60 billion.
The park is designed to be able to receive four gigawatts of solar and wind power, and both GreenGo Energy and Ringkøbing-Skjern municipality have nominated the area as a possible location for an energy park to the state.
Displayed below is the part of the energy park that will convert the 4 GW into green fuel:
The energy park, including the associated renewable energy production and related businesses, is expected to create somewhere between 300–500 permanent jobs.
In addition, it is expected that the production will also create around 1 TWh of surplus heat, which will be able to contribute to district heating.
Praise from Green Power Denmark
The project was met with great enthusiasm at Green Power Denmark with hopes that other municipalities will jump on the green transition bandwagon.
“This project is big in every possible way. A lot of praise should go to GreenGo Energy for making the green investment and, together with Ringkøbing-Skjern municipality, showing the way for how to work together effectively and with local support to establish green energy projects,” Green Power Denmark CEO Kristian Jensen says.
"Og ja, lyder stort. Men hvor stort er det? 11 TWh, som projektet leverer, svarer til 1/3 af hele den danske elproduktion vi har i dag" det siger @Kristian_Jensen #dkpol #dkgreen pic.twitter.com/1EqsyC99xP
— Jacob Klivager (@jacobklivager) January 24, 2023
“There is a lot of learning to be gained from the project, and I hope that other municipalities will be inspired. Because we need more people to take responsibility for the climate crisis and make decisions to build more renewable energy. The municipalities that dare to take the lead will also reap the benefits in the form of jobs.”
Onshore and offshore wind and solar
The investment will be funded by GreenGo Energy’s customers and partners, which include some of the world’s biggest investors in renewable energy and infrastructure.
The consulting team of the project consists of Cowi, a consultancy that specialises in PtX, New Power Partners, a company that specialises in offshore wind turbines, and Arkitema, an architectural firm that has designed the whole landscape of the area.
The project’s large scale is absolutely essential to make it competitive.
Production requires access to large amounts of cheap renewable energy throughout the year, so that the electrolysis runs optimally, and this requires the right combination of solar and wind energy.
The prerequisite for the Megaton project is GreenGo Energy’s development portfolio of 4,000 hectares of onshore solar and wind projects in Ringkøbing-Skjern municipality.
In addition, there are 2 GW of offshore wind off the west coast of Jutland, from GreenGo Energy’s portfolio of offshore wind projects, which are primarily applied for under the open door scheme.
Setting new standards
The aim of the project is to set new standards for sector integration, circular agriculture cooperation, and to find new solutions for local co-ownership.
The final location of solar panels and wind turbines has not yet been determined.
It will be determined later in close collaboration with Ringkøbing-Skjern municipality and local stakeholders.
GreenGo Energy will also hold meetings with environmental organisations, local stakeholders, and local residents to include them in the dialogue.
