Status and future perspectives

Tuesday, March 13, 2007   (updated Wednesday, August 01, 2007)

The island is 100% self-sufficient with wind-generated electricity. About 70% of island heating needs are met with renewable energy, and the transportation energy consumption is 100% compensated by the electricity production from the offshore wind turbines.

Quite a number of people are working with plans to establish a cooperatively run farm-based biogas plant to extract biogas from the major pig farms’ slurry . This biogas will be used to produce electricity and the excess heat will be used for heating purposes. The remaining 30% of the island households will be approached in information campaigns to promote new neighbourhood heating systems and individual solutions. Heat pump systems are now attractive solutions because the island generates a surplus of electricity.

The transport sector can in part be supplied with canola oil for diesel vehicles and the island’s gasoline cars can use bioethanol or can be converted to hydrogen and electricity. We’re ready when technological innovation and lower prices make large scale conversion feasible.

The Energy Academy offers courses and workshops on these future perspectives and it will continue to accommodate the many interested visitors to Samsø, Denmark’s energy island.