By Susanne Togeby, AAU Communication og Public Affairs
Photo: Private

Municipalities play a central role in heat planning and the local development of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. Vesthimmerland Municipality—like many others—has committed to becoming climate neutral by 2050. However, achieving climate neutrality is a challenge for any municipality, and this is precisely the task that Helena Thougaard Jensen has taken on as an intern at Vesthimmerland Municipality.

With her internship host from the municipality, Louise Mouritsen, by her side, Helena has outlined how the energy sector in Vesthimmerland Municipality can become climate neutral. Helena is a student in the Sustainable Energy Planning and Management program at Aalborg University. With her academic background, she is able to take a broad perspective on the municipality’s energy system and the interplay between resources and technologies in the green transition.

Specifically, she has developed two CO₂-neutral scenarios for how Vesthimmerland Municipality’s energy systems could look in 2050: one with and one without a Power-to-X facility (a plant that converts green electricity and CO₂ from biogas plants into hydrogen and methanol). Helena Thougaard Jensen explains:

"The two scenarios for the municipality’s energy system in 2050 should not be seen as a final goal but rather as one possibility among many. My proposals are meant to highlight potentials and interconnections between technologies, sparking dialogue. Each solution comes with its own challenges and perspectives."

The Analysis Can Ensure a Holistic Transition of the Municipality’s Energy Sector

Louise Mouritsen, Strategic Energy Planner at Vesthimmerland Municipality, sees great value in Helena’s analysis of the municipality’s energy systems:

"We can use the results of Helena’s analysis in our continued work on the municipality’s climate action plans. The analysis helps us focus on the right areas to ensure a holistic transition of the municipality’s energy sector."

Helena Thougaard Jensen is open about the fact that she is working with well-known solutions and that external factors, such as the expansion of the electricity grid, also play a role. However, according to her, the project highlights the importance of reducing CO₂ emissions and draws attention to ensuring that the energy the municipality receives does not contribute to the consumption of fossil fuels or biomass.

Translated by Emma Holtegaard Hansen