There is already a converter station in Vejen Municipality near Revsing, where the power from Viking Link comes in from Great Britain. Now another converter station is on the way, and it will be located close to the existing converter station in Revsing.
- We already have a plant, and the new one is now a plant where the power will come in from the North Sea. The optimal location is close to the existing plant, says Mayor Frank Schmidt-Hansen.
But while the cables from Viking Link will be laid in the ground, and thus will not be a nuisance to anyone, the situation will be different with the cables for the upcoming converter station. And it has something to do with the war in Ukraine and the entire security situation in Europe.
- In terms of the overall security of supply, it is easier to re-establish a cable route with masts, as opposed to a buried cable route, explains Frank Schmidt-Hansen about a scenario that, after all, seems far removed from Denmark.
For example, one of the larger cable routes could be subjected to sabotage or even a regular act of war.
- It is simply about the security of supply, explains Frank Schmidt-Hansen, about something that means masts are a nuisance to residents along the cable route.
That is why the mayor is also working to obtain better compensation for the affected citizens.
- We are looking into whether solar cell plants can be established in the area, because the compensation is somewhat better than what Energinet can provide. Energinet is bound by a specific compensation. We are concerned with how we can better compensate citizens, he explains.
The possibility of an energy park and utilization of surplus heat
But the ambitions go even further than solar cells, and PtX projects are also being looked at, because there will be plenty of electricity in the municipality in the future. If it ends up with both solar cells, PtX and converter plants, then a name is already ready.
- We are already starting to approach something that we can call an energy park, so we must also ensure that some green jobs are created, says the mayor about something that is really close to his heart.
When the land is used for infrastructure and energy production, he also already has several ideas for how the surplus heat can be used in the future.
- It could be vertical farming, where you grow crops in floors when there is less agricultural land available together with the surplus energy, says Frank Schmidt-Hansen.
Today, work is being done to utilize the surplus heat from the existing converter station.
- There is already a dialogue between the district heating in Vejen and Energinet about utilizing the surplus heat, he says about something that has not yet come to fruition of several reasons.
- There are some high establishment costs for district heating, and therefore some guarantees are needed that have not yet been possible to obtain.
Here, the city district heating is also keeping an eye on what such an energy supply will cost for district heating customers.
- They are looking to ensure that it does not become more expensive for consumers, explains Frank Schmidt-Hansen, before returning to his favorite subject.
- We are already at a crossroads here with the energy infrastructure, and it started with natural gas. I would like to bring us into the loop, so that jobs and other effects come out of it too, concludes Frank Schmidt-Hansen.
Updated version at 17:43 June 9 - in an earlier version it appeared that the mayor of Vejen is called Frank Schmidt, but his correct name is Frank Schmidt-Hansen.
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