Hjørring proposes direct power links as grid falls behind

Hjørring Municipality wants to create an alternative to Denmark’s national electricity grid by connecting companies and residential areas directly to wind farms and solar installations, DR reports.

Businesses north of the Limfjord have had to postpone investments and transitions to green energy because the existing grid lacks capacity. The municipality says it cannot wait for the national grid to be expanded.

The municipality’s Technical and Environment Committee will investigate the proposal. Committee chair Søren Homann of the Conservative Party said waiting for Energinet, which owns the electricity grid, could mean waiting 10 to 15 years before improvements reach the area.

One company that needs more electricity than the grid can currently provide is the large fishing and ferry port in Hirtshals. Homann said the proposed model would require close cooperation between energy companies and electricity customers.

“Our most important task is to ensure that residents and businesses can get electricity from the socket when they need it,” he said.

Moderates energy spokesperson Lars Aagaard welcomed the idea of exploring local electricity supply. He said he understood the impatience caused by long waiting times and was open to bringing a concrete proposal from Hjørring Municipality to parliament.

Energinet has previously said that large projects seeking connection to the grid may have to wait up to 10 years. The company told DR it had not yet had an opportunity to comment on Hjørring Municipality’s proposal.