The early spring of 2022 could have ended up as a landmark time for the Port of Hanstholm. On the table was a concrete agreement proposal between the port and European Energy, which could have provided a time-limited sales agreement for port area for a PtX plant at the port, but the agreement never came to fruition.
The power for the PtX process was planned to come from three wind turbines with a size of 10-15 MW located on a constructed spit in front of the port or elsewhere in the port. In addition, a solar cell plant of between 80 and 160 MW, which was to be installed on other areas of the port or near the port, was also a requirement from European Energy.
However, the option of building a spit for the turbines was rejected, as a spit would cost between 150 and 250 million. DKK. The port's finances were already strained after the expansion of the port to 650 million. DKK, which was completed in 2020. This is shown by internal documents from the port, which DOI.dk has access to.
A sales agreement could otherwise have brought Hanstholm Port an income over a 30-year period of a total of DKK 450 million. The sale would also have triggered an advance payment of around DKK 100 million to the depleted port treasury. The agreement was intended to include approximately 100,000 sq m. of area, which would fall back to the port after a 30-year period via a so-called "fall-back agreement".
In addition to the direct income from the sale, there would have been earnings for the port for renting out area for both the wind turbines and the solar cells.
The agreement fell through
But the agreement, which was supposed to have been implemented already in mid-2022, fell through. This happened during the short period when former Liberal politician Kristian Jensen was chairman of Hanstholm Port, and while Nils Skeby was CEO.
Kristian Jensen left the port's board to become CEO of the industry organization for renewable energy in Denmark, Green Power Denmark. Before that, he had to recommend Nils Skeby for dismissal. However, neither of the two former top people in the port will offer their opinion on why the agreement with European Energy fell through.
Nils Skeby is currently CEO of Business & Tourism in Kerteminde. Why the lucrative agreement never ended up coming to fruition is briefly stated:
- I have no comment on that.
Kristian Jensen writes in a written response:
- I have no comment on why a potential tenant would not rent land in Hanstholm.
After both Nils Skeby and Kristian Jensen had left the port, it ended up going from a municipal self-governing port to a municipal port due to poor finances. The debt has since been reduced by a loan restructuring, which has also meant that the port has been granted a grace period for a five-year period.
The development of green energy as a business area in the Port of Hanstholm has not yet occurred, even though the future is described in the following words in the documents that DOI.dk has seen:
"Green energy as the next major growth driver for the Port of Hanstholm"
DOI.dk has tried to get a comment on the project at the Port of Hanstholm from European Energy, but the company has not wanted to comment on the matter.
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