Innargi to develop geothermal district heating in Holbaek, Denmark

Holbaek, Denmark (source: Joe Kniesek, Holbaerk municipality, Denmark)

Danish geothermal developer Innargi has entered into an agreement with utility company Fors to investigate the potential for geothermal heating in the city of Holbaek in Denmark. Innargi has promised that the geothermal heat can be delivered in conjunction with the expansion of the district heating network in Holbaek towards the end of 2026.

The long-term plan is to convert the entire city from natural gas to district heating – a big task for Holbaek, the biggest gas-heated city in Denmark. With about 30,000 inhabitants, Holbaek is among the most affected by the energy crisis. This is why the Holbaek Municipality and Fors are initiating a large-scale plan to bring district heating to the citizens of Holbaek in different stages. Also equally important is finding the correct composition of energy sources to ensure that there is hot water in the pipes.

The expectation is that Holbaek will be provided with two well pairs which can supply 15-30 MW. The analyses that Fors and Innargi must now begin will determine the best levels for the district heating in Holbaek. Innargi wants to include the project as part of the company’s big project in Aarhus where EU’s biggest geothermal district heating plant is currently being built in collaboration with the Aarhus utility company Kredsløb.

“I am very happy about the perspectives that utilizing geothermal heating in our municipality brings. It can become a good and important supplement to the coming roll out of district heating. A great restructuring task awaits us, as today all of 64% of heating in Holbaek is based on oil or natural gas. Geothermal heating speaks well to our ambitions for the green transition to sustainable and renewable energy sources in our heat supply,” says Holbaek Mayor Christina Krzyrosiak Hansen.

“For us, Holbaek is something very special. Holbaek is building a new and modern district heating network that is energy efficient and keeps the temperature at about 80 degrees Celsius in the winter. A network like that is made for geothermal heating, as we expect the temperature of the geothermal water to be between 60 to 80 degrees Celsius. This means that we only need to use a small amount of power for heating pumps. The inhabitants of Holbaek are in a difficult situation, and we want to be there together with Fors and the municipality in order for this project to succeed within the ambitious timeframe,” says Innargi CEO Samir Abboud.

Innargi is also working on geothermal district heating projects in the Copenhagen metropolitan area and in the towns of Skanderborg and Hørning.

Source: Email correspondence