In 1982, Herning Municipality established Denmark’s first combined heat and power plant as part of its district heating supply system. Initially the plant was fired by oil and coal, but already in the 1990s it was decided to convert a large part of production to biofuel usage. Today, renewable energy sources account for 55 per cent of heating supplies and 68 per cent of electricity supplies.  

Line Thastum, climate coordinator and green guide with Herning Municipality, explains: “Our aim is to have as many people as possible using environmentally friendly district heating. Therefore we made an early decision to establish small district heating plants in the surrounding villages so that many more people could be connected to the district heating network. Consequently, today some 70 per cent of the municipality’s heating supply is provided by district heating plants – despite the fact that we have a relatively low population density.”  

Renovation of pipes reduces heat loss

Herning Municipality has also made a major effort to improve and modernise the district heating network. Measures taken include an early decision to insulate the supply pipes and to renovate 136 km of aerated concrete insulated main pipe. These measures have reduced heat loss by 1-2 GJ/year per metre of pipe, which is high compared to the national average despite the low insulation in Herning Municipality.  

Ambitious target for future heating supplies

While efforts so far have already contributed to reducing the municipality’s annual CO₂ emissions per inhabitant to less than half the national average, Herning Municipality still has ambitious heating supply goals.  

Municipal initiatives include doubling the amount of renewable energy used in district heating supplies through measures such as expanding biogas plants and establishing new solar heating systems. In addition, by 2030 heating production equipment is to be upgraded to an efficiency rate of 95 per cent and heat wastage in the pipe network reduced by 15 per cent.