Aalborg Portland launches district cooling project to cut CO2 emissions by up to 90 percent in Denmark

Last year, Aalborg Portland emitted 1.7 million tons of CO2, making it the most climate-impactful company in Denmark. However, a new project is steering the cement factory toward a greener future. The facility is utilizing cold water from a large chalk lake, where raw materials for cement production are sourced, as part of a highly energy-efficient district cooling system.

The water is transported through a nearly four-kilometer pipeline to Aalborg University Hospital, where it is used to cool rooms, machinery, and computer servers. This district cooling system is projected to reduce CO2 emissions by 80 to 90 percent compared to traditional electric cooling systems.

Michael Lundgaard Thomsen, director of Aalborg Portland, emphasized their commitment to using available resources for the benefit of others, highlighting the company’s existing role in providing heating to Aalborg residents and the potential to also supply cooling. He expressed hope that more businesses and institutions will connect to the cooling network.

From a business perspective, utilizing heat from cement kilns and cold water from the lake is a sensible approach. However, it’s also a matter of enhancing Aalborg Portland’s image. Thomsen aims to demonstrate that the company not only contributes to CO2 emissions but also provides significant benefits to society.

The municipality’s utility company, Aalborg Forsyning, has developed the cooling system, and plans are in place to connect more institutions and companies. According to Brian Vad Mathiesen, a professor at Aalborg University, district cooling has enormous potential. The project, which will gradually enable more sections of the new Aalborg University Hospital to be connected to the system by 2026, offers a sustainable cooling solution from a natural source.