The lighthouse foundation was laid in 2023

The lighthouse foundation was laid in 2023
20.12.23 GESEK

In GESEK we are now putting our first calendar year behind us. Big thanks go out to everyone who has been involved and engaged in our activities.

By Nikolaj Stig Nielsen, project director GESEK

As a lighthouse project we have primarily been established to light up the road going forward for the green transition of the energy sector in South Jutland. But since we are still new and unknown to most people, it may be a good idea to also shed a little light on the road behind us here at the conclusion of 2023 and direct focus towards what has been achieved in and around GESEK in the past year.

During the autumn we have ended our first round og project activities. They were initiated in the summer of 2022, as the lighthouse of South Jutland received its first funding of 105 mio. DKK from the Danish Board of Business Development (DEB) and EU REACT.

80 mio. DKK extra in 2023

The efforts to raise additional funding for the lighthouse and thereby expand the project portfolio further have continued throughout 2023.

With Energy Cluster Denmark, work-live-stay and Business Hub South as partners GESEK has produced two new proposals for funding in 2023, resulting in additional financial support of approx. 80 mio. DKK. More specifically 25 mio. from DEB and 53 mio. from the Just Transition Fund (FRO).

Consequently, status is now that the lighthouse has generated a total funding of approx. 185 mio. DKK.

“With the foundation in place focus will be on increasing the height as well as the brightness of the lighthouse.”

On this basis we have now established a portfolio of 27 different test- and demonstration projects with Energy Cluster Denmark as lead. Simultaneously work-live-stay have -along with their partners – initiated a long-term effort to secure that companies of South Jutland will not experience shortage of labor and competencies for the green transitions in the years to come. And as a brand-new thing Business Hub South have received funding to establish 11 local networks to facilitate the involvement of more small- and middle-sized companies in the green transition of the energy sector.

Test- and demonstration projects with results

One of our important achievements of 2023 is the support for the first Power-to-Gas facility in Denmark, located in Glansager near Sønderborg, operated by Nature Energy and Andel. Specifically, GESEK has co-funded the development of a biological filter, developed with SDU as a partner, which is able to combine CO2 and green hydrogen into methane. This eliminates the emission of CO2 from the plant and provides a more efficient production of green methane, which can potentially replace ‘black’ natural gas.

Caption: Public-private partnership at the inauguration of the Power-to-Gas plant in Glansager, november 2023. From left: Minister for business and finance Morten Bødskov, mayor in Sønderborg Erik Lauritzen, CEO in Andel Energi Jesper Hjulmand and CEO in Nature Energy Ole Hvelplund.

Other highlights of 2023 include the support for a sector coupling solution for the European Energy’s PtX plant in Kassø, which is currently under construction. From the middle of next year the plant is expected to produce up 32.000 tonnes of methanol per year. This can among other things be used as fuel in the maritime sector. The solution that the lighthouse has co-funded will make it possible to utilize the surplus heat from the methanol production in the local district heating network.

Caption: European Energy’s PtX plant in Kassø will be ready to enter into operation from next year. Pictured is the electrolyzer unit that will produce hydrogen out of green electricity.

A third example of the test- and demonstration portfolio of the lighthouse is a project where companies and knowledge facilitators have worked together on a guideline for the future hydrogen infrastructure, which is hopefully just around the corner. This important infrastructure is a prerequisite for the next steps to be taken towards development of PtX ind South Jutland as well as the rest of Denmark.

At South Danish University in Sønderborg another important lighthouse project made it to the finish line with Aalborg University and Danfoss as partners. At the beginning of December the inauguration of their new testlab for electrolyzers took place. This will be of great importance, since electrolyzers will be the ‘engines’ in the future production of green hydrogen.

Green jobs on the agenda

The efforts to secure labor and competencies for the green transition of the region’s energy sector is a long-term investment. But activities have already taken solid roots after a year. For example, around 250 employees of local companies have expanded their competencies through relevant courses and education, and work-live-stay and their partners have been in contact with around 700 companies to help them strengthen their work with HR, competence development etc. The extra funding makes it possible to continue the activities in a long-term perspective.

Caption: Promoting green education and green jobs to young people through the concept ‘Fremtidens Grønne Helte’ (Green Heroes of the Future).

Furthermore, efforts to promote local jobs to foreigners have been initiated, and green education offers have been put on young people’s agenda.

Only the beginning

Even though GESEK and project partners have established a strong and broad portfolio of activities this is only the foundation and the beginning af the lighthouse project.

At the end of the year GESEK’s board went through a strategy process, which will define the next steps of development for the lighthouse. The process demonstrated that support as well as expectations continue to be high for the project. The main task is to create a common narrative for the region’s  green transition within three focus areas: Offshore wind, PtX and integrated energy systems.

With the foundation in place focus will be on increasing the height as well as the brightness of the lighthouse. In specific terms this means more and closer collaboration across as well as outside of the region – but also more communication in and around the lighthouse project. And above all, it will mean more efficient sharing of knowledge among everyone active in a responsible for the green transition of the energy sector.

Because GESEK and the lighthouse are pursuing an important long-term vision: Turning the region of South Jutland into a living full-scale demonstratorium for the green energy system of the future. Within time, this will potentially facilitate export, job creation and improved economy – and we are already well underway.

Happy holidays – and a prosperous new year to everyone!