Morning fuel – green hydrogen talk, hosted by COWI

Did you miss our webinar? No need to worry – watch the recording below. 

Denmark has been at the forefront of offshore wind energy since the world’s first offshore wind farm was built in Danish waters in 1991. With the Climate Agreement of June 22, 2020, the Danish government took a bold step forward by deciding to establish two energy islands, one in the North Sea and another near Bornholm.

The vision, often compared to a "mission to Mars" for Denmark’s energy sector, is to build large offshore distribution hubs for wind energy and green hydrogen, potentially marking the beginning of a whole new era for renewable energy production. As the world shifts towards greener energy solutions, harnessing the synergy between offshore wind and hydrogen production is emerging as a key enabler for a sustainable future. At the same time, the Island-projects have proven to be very complex, so what measures can we take to move them forward?

The webinar is a deep dive into the pivotal role of energy islands in the Danish and European green transition. We’ve gathered top industry experts from Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), Ørsted, and Energinet to explore how the integration of offshore wind and hydrogen can redefine our energy system, not just for Denmark, but for the entire Europe.

Featured Speakers:

Thomas Dalsgaard, Partner at Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP)
Thomas Dalsgaard is Partner at Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and responsible for Copenhagen Energy Islands and Advanced Biofuel Fund. Thomas Dalsgaard has more than 15 years’ experience within large scale renewable energy infrastructure projects. 

Ulrik Stridbæk, Head of Regulatory and Public Affairs at Ørsted
Ulrik Stridbæk is Head of Global Regulatory and Public Affairs at Ørsted. He is in charge of Ørsted’s strategy, positioning and stakeholder engagement on regulatory and policy issues. In that role he has been deeply engaged in promoting the green transformation and working for the frameworks for renewable energy and renewable hydrogen. He has worked for Ørsted since 2008. He is in the board of Wind Europe and Green Power Denmark, and he is the vice-chair of DI Energy.

Hanne Storm Edlefsen, Vice President, Megaprojects at Energinet 
Hanne Storm Edlefsen is Vice President at Energinet. Hanne is leading the development of Megaprojects, with the responsibility for both the two Danish energy islands and the hydrogen backbone. Since 2012, Hanne has worked in different areas within the energy sector, where she has gained a large network and a strong experience in both leadership, international affairs, and the green energy system’s future. 

Jan Behrendt Ibsø, Group Senior Market Director, Renewable Energy at COWI
Jan Behrendt Ibsø is COWI Group Senior Market Director for Renewable Energy. In this role, Jan is involved in accelerating the green transition through major projects including forming COWIs strategy and market approach for offshore wind, energy islands and hydrogen. He has worked for more than 20 years in global energy sectors, leading and executing growth strategies and streamlining global delivery of services and solutions in several large organisations. Having been part of several offshore wind energy projects, Jan has worked on both sides of the table: Both with direct offshore wind project development and with management of offshore renewable energy projects incl. consultancy, advisory, and certification. 

Key discussion points:

•    State of play: Address the obvious elephant in the room, i.e., the decision to postpone the construction of the North Sea Energy Island, while highlighting opportunities to move forward

•    Offshore Wind and Hydrogen Synergies: Discover why a lot of the electricity generated from offshore wind should be converted into hydrogen, how this will shape the future of our energy system as well as creating key opportunities for Denmark.

•    The importance of infrastructure: Understand the critical importance of building the right infrastructure, including hydrogen pipelines, to support the large-scale adoption of renewable energy. 

•    Tender Mechanisms for the Future: Delve into the emerging challenges and opportunities of future tender mechanisms for offshore wind. How can they be redesigned to account for hydrogen integration, ensuring Denmark remains a leader in this competitive space?

The event was moderated by Valeria Guerrieri Fussinger, Associate Technical Director at COWI.

Check out the webinar here: