Energy planning in municipalities

Since we got our first energy plan in 1976 Denmark has had a stable and strong energy policy capable of implementing this plan. A number of legal acts have initiated planning activities and other activities with the aim to reduce the energy consumption and thus the CO2 emissions.
 

Therefore, it has been a focus area for many municipalities to prepare energy planning strategies, in order to ensure that each municipality takes all necessary steps to reduce the total CO2 emission in the most cost effective way. These strategies are elaborated in close co-operation with energy suppliers and large energy consumers.

The focus areas in a typical energy plan will typically be:

• Least cost planning of the heat supply and optimal zoning of district heating and individual low-carbon heat sources
• Planning of low carbon heat sources for the district heating
• Planning of central cooling in districts with cooling load
• Promotion of electricity and heat saving measures and reduction of return temperature in buildings•
• Utilization of the wind energy potential
• Traffic planning
• Urban planning with focus on low carbon infrastructure, such as public transportation, heating and cooling, combined with suitable requirements to the buildings

The result of the energy plan will be an overall strategy for reducing the CO2 emission in the municipality in a cost effective way including all relevant activities in the municipality and a forecast of the energy balance on the territory of the municipality, including use of resources and CO2 emissions. The municipality will have different roles in the implementation of the strategy, e.g. as local administrator of energy legislation, building owner, employer and disseminator of information to the public.

Ramboll has been a leading consultant in energy planning in 30 years and is currently involved in energy planning activities for a number of municipalities.

More info at the Ramboll profile