Klimapark Northwest Jutland, located south of Klosterheden, will be used by many – and for different purposes. The park has been applied for politically in the three municipalities that the park spans. Holstebro, Lemvig and Struer municipalities.
The climate park will offer local citizens close to the park cheap green power, funds for village development, new recreational areas under the auspices of Unesco Global Geopark West Jutland and new cohesive nature that can potentially link Denmark’s third largest cohesive forest, Klosterheden, with Stråsø plantation. Today, the areas are primarily used for agriculture, the goal of the climate park is that future land use will be a coexistence between energy production, nature, agriculture and local communities.
“We are delighted with the reception the park has already received from politicians, the Danish Society for Nature Conservation, the local business community and many others. There is still a lot of dialog to be had. We are in good dialog with the citizen associations and will also intensify it further in the coming time,” – Says Niels Erik Madsen, CEO of Skovgaard Energy.
Skovgaard Energy praises the three municipalities, Lemvig, Holstebro and Struer, for a good dialog and looks forward to the further processing. At the same time, they welcome the fantastic collaboration with a range of local players. The climate park will be used by many and for many different purposes, emphasizes Niels Erik Madsen.
Nature and recreational areas
The opportunity to connect large forest and nature areas in connection with the creation of Climate Park Northwest Jutland makes the Danish Society for Nature Conservation support the park.
“We collaborate on several projects where biodiversity and climate action go hand in hand. However, the potential to give animal and plant life extra good conditions is really great in this project,” says Chairman John Clausen from the Danish Society for Nature Conservation in Lemvig, who also speaks on behalf of the Danish Society for Nature Conservation in Struer and Holstebro.
He points out that the objectives of the Green Map of Denmark, which were born nationally, can be met locally and regionally by connecting Klosterheden with Theuts, Ulfborg and Stråsø Planter in the south.
More cohesive forests are crucial for the movement of many animals and are part of the goals of the Green Map of Denmark.
“There is no getting around the fact that we need to promote solar and wind energy to achieve climate goals. Therefore, the Danish Ornithological Society is constructively involved in the work with climate parks to ensure that the outcome will be as much biodiversity and nature restoration as possible. From a bird perspective, solar farms are likely to provide better conditions for some farmland bird species than monoculture fields, especially if they are not fertilized and sprayed and allow for native plant communities. Farmland birds have been in steep decline for several decades,” says chairman Kristian Tikjøb, chairman of the Danish Ornithological Society in Lemvig.
The expansion of renewable energy plants in the Danish landscape is inevitable if we are to achieve the set climate and energy targets, states the Danish Hunters’ Association.
“However, there are many different interests in the planning of the open country, and the Danish Hunters’ Association is therefore enthusiastic when a player like Skovgaard Energi takes the initiative for multifunctional planning in the development of Climate Park Northwest Jutland, for the benefit of both the local population and nature. The Danish Hunters’ Association is particularly concerned that the establishment of new energy plants maintains and improves habitats and small biotopes in the open countryside, and that the use of fences is minimized as much as possible so that there are no unnecessary restrictions on wildlife’s ability to move freely in the landscape.” says Lars Udengaard, member of the executive board of the Danish Hunters’ Association.
New recreational areas will also be incorporated into the park, which pleases Unesco Global Geopark West Jutland.
“We are pleased that Klimapark Northwest Jutland and the parties behind it will contribute to the development of Geo-sites in Unesco Global Geopark West Jutland, when such large areas and nature areas are to come into play. In fact, it will be a requirement for all Geoparks in the future to communicate climate and energy initiatives.” says manager Karen-Louise Smidth from Unesco Global Geopark Vestjylland, which covers the municipalities of Struer, Lemvig and Holstebro – and a large area in the North Sea.
Agriculture backs it up
The agricultural sector welcomes the opportunity to utilize the land in Northwest Jutland for the most suitable purposes – and at the same time contribute to solving the world’s climate challenges.
“We applaud the holistic approach that incorporates biodiversity, energy, agriculture and recreational areas in the same park. A wise master plan for the area requires good dialog all the way around and we are happy to contribute to this,” says Chairman Kristian Gade from Holstebro-Struer Landboforening.
He points out that some low-lying land can be used for solar cells and wind turbines, for example, which would benefit several parties. Good and respectful dialog with farmers who may have to leave their life’s work and get other land will go a long way, the chairman emphasizes.
“We also support the way of creating climate parks, where more local actors are heard and together we find a solution that benefits everyone,” says farmer Morten Agger, vice chairman of the Fjordland association, which covers Skive, Thisted and Lemvig municipalities.
He also points out that agriculture has a specific task related to low-lying soil, which can, for example, be lifted into a climate park.
Danish Agriculture & Food Council is part of the Alliance for Renewable Energy: https://greenpowerdenmark.dk/nyheder/groen-alliance-lad-kommunerne-beholde-skatter-fra-nye-groenne-projekter
Local jobs, growth and development come with the park
The speed of getting the Climate Park built is crucial for a range of other projects that will further help with the green transition and local business development. Klimapark Northwest Jutland will supply power to the largest ptx plant in Northern Europe, which will be located in Idomlund near Holstebro. Ørsted and Skovgaard Energy have previously announced plans to invest DKK 2-5 billion in the plant.
The green hydrogen production will create billions in export revenue via hydrogen pipes to Germany, but also a brand new industry and business area at Idomlund.
The business community in Northwest Jutland is excited about the climate park, as it will not only be built by local suppliers, but also feeds into the value chain with ptx and the rest of the business opportunities that lie in the green transition.
“Climate Park Northwest Jutland is crucial to kick-start the large-scale business value chain throughout Northwest Jutland, which will create jobs, growth and development all around. The park is a necessary and important piece if Northwest Jutland is to reap the benefits of green business development,” says CEO Peter Kjeldbjerg from Erhvervsforum Holstebro, which represents almost 500 companies
Struer Erhvervsforening also praises the project.
“The sustainable profile of the Climate Park activates local actors such as Bærebyg and Hvidbjerg in terms of recycling materials. And the park feeds into the creation of a huge business opportunity in ptx in Northwest Jutland,” says chairman Jeanette Houe Lund from Struer Erhvervsforening.
At Climatorium – Denmark’s international climate center, they also see great opportunities in the development that the park can initiate.
“As a lighthouse in water technology and solutions, we also see a huge export and business potential around water and ptx,” says CEO Lars Holmegaard from Climatorium, which is already collaborating with Skovgaard Energy and other good forces in a project on the use of secondary water for ptx production.
Part of a larger value chain
Lessons learned from the world’s first dynamic ammonia plant in Ramme near Lemvig will be used as Skovgaard Energy, together with Topsøe and Vestas, harvest new groundbreaking green knowledge with EUDP funding.
The Japanese giant Sumitomo Corporation has announced its arrival and with the exciting plans in the area will focus on large-scale distribution and production based in the North Sea port of Thyborøn.
Climate Park Northwest Jutland will be discussed in all three municipalities over the coming months.
Facts and figures
The climate park concept
Unlike an energy park, a climate park incorporates multiple purposes into its design. Renewable energy, biodiversity, recreational areas, green agriculture, business and village development are brought together in a climate park.
Lemvig Municipality, which has won a KL award for its ability to install RE on land without complaints and at high speed, originally coined the term.
The climate park concept was originally included in Local Plan no. 218 in Lemvig Municipality, where, in addition to energy plants, more than 100 hectares of new forest are being planted and a large clean-up project in connection with Byn sø is included.
Read more about the initiatives in Climate Park Northwest Jutland in this graphic presentation