New solar power plant in Horsens

by Jannik Stanley Nielsen

The third largest solar powerplant in the world is situated in Horsens in Denmark.

An absolutely unique facility - this is how the new solar power plant can be described. 641 solar panels put together create the third largest solar power plant in the world. The new energy-saving facility is not only good for the environment - it also saves money of customers.

Each customer saves about 700 DKK (110 USD) a year, and at the same time the CO₂-load is reduced with about 3,2 tons a year per consumer. That is a very fine result, regarding the former Danish Minister of Environmental Issues, Flemming Hansens' objective of reducing the CO₂- load no less than 1 ton a year. All together the new solar power plant saves the environment from 4.500 tons of CO₂ a year.

The solar power plant produces approximately 4 million kWh hot water per year and covers approximately 10% of the total use of heating for all customers in the city Braedstrup.

Energinet.dk, which is responsible for the electric system in Denmark, has backed the project with 3,5 million DKK (500.000 USD) and has also calculated that the combination of sun and combined heat and power (CHP) has a stabilizing effect on the electric system.

Former Minister of Environmental Issues, Flemming Hansen, had only good things to say, when the facilities opened in August 2007. "I'm very pleased to launch a project with huge environmental advantages. And, it also defies the old story of Denmark as a country, where the sun never shines", said Flemming Hansen.

And now the citizens of Braedstrup, close to Horsens and the neighborhood, can look forward to cheap and non-polluting heating.