Audible response
Port Denmark's consultation response to the draft proposal for an act on state-designated energy parks
Danish Ports acknowledges the opportunity to comment on the proposal for state-designated energy parks. Together with a broad majority, the government has entered into the "Climate agreement on more green energy from solar and wind on land 2023 - Framework conditions to promote RE development on land". Danish Ports welcomes the agreement and the ambition to make the legislation more flexible so that the green transition can happen faster and climate change can be countered. The new RE parks will, among other things, produce green energy for the transition of the maritime value chains, be it various green ship fuels and increased electrification. In this context, it is crucial to consider the entire value chain in the solutions.
- As a key element in this consultation, Danish Ports recommends that the commercial ports that can/are expected to be included in the RE fuel chains and in the production of e.g. wind turbine parts can also be given special designations/terms that allow for fast and flexible case processing in relevant areas, in line with the energy parks. In many cases, ports are the physical foundation for the green transition in relation to production, installation and storage of offshore wind elements, piping, etc. so ports must be seen as part of the overall RE energy chain.
- This will ensure that the commercial ports can best support the important societal activities that the new energy parks will support, helping to enable a quadrupling of the total electricity production from solar energy and onshore wind by 2030.
In the follow-up act, state-designated energy parks must be given special conditions that, among other things, relax considerations for land protection and thus make it easier and faster to obtain permits and exemptions for the installation of renewable energy, including in relation to the location of PtX plants and companies in connection with the energy parks. By allowing the siting of large PtX factories in the open countryside, you deviate from a basic consideration in Danish planning, which is to keep the open countryside free for this type of plant. It would therefore be advantageous, as far as possible, to locate the plants at or adjacent to existing business areas, preferably at or close to a port where the green fuels will be used and shipped from.
From a safety perspective, there may be advantages in locating PtX companies in business areas where there may already be the necessary environmental permits and an active and effective emergency response in the event of an accident. This must take into account sufficient safety distances etc.
The following option may also be relevant in very special cases in connection with port expansions: "The proposed act will ensure that the respective ministers have the opportunity - in cases relating to or otherwise of importance to the realization of the energy park - to take over the municipality's powers under the Planning Act, the Environmental Assessment Act, the Nature Protection Act, the Environmental Protection Act and the Museum Act, respectively. At the request of the municipal council and otherwise in special cases, the relevant minister may decide to take over the powers of the municipal council."
Kind regards,
Camilla Rosenhagen
Danish Ports