About 50 percent of Danish households currently heated by natural gas will be converted to district heating by 2028. Such a goal was voiced by Climate and Energy Minister Dan Jørgensen when he presented the government's energy reform, including a plan to end Denmark's dependence on Russian gas.
According to the government, about 400,000 Danish households are currently heated by natural gas. Up to 30-50 percent of these homes are most suitable for conversion to district heating and will be converted permanently by 2028 according to the plan. The rest of the houses will be converted to electric heat pumps by 2030.
Denmark residents have noticed a significant increase in heating costs as a result of the global increase in energy prices and the side effects of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The government intends to pay a one-time emergency aid to households most affected by the price increase.
Industry representative Dansk Fjernvarme estimates that around 250,000 homes currently connected to individual gas heating could be converted to central heating.
However, some houses are too far away to be connected to the district heating network. In these cases, the government has said it is trying to find other solutions to replace gas heating, in particular with heat pumps.
Households located in areas with district heating can be connected to the network, with heating supplied through pipes laid under the pavement.
In areas without mains pipelines, local authorities and district heating plants can negotiate to expand supply locally.
According to the government's plan, households that have individual gas heating will receive a letter before the end of this year outlining options for them to switch to district heating.
The government has also stepped up its renewable energy development program, saying it now plans to quadruple the number of solar and onshore wind farms by 2030.
Gas accounts for 18% of energy consumption in Denmark every year. National production accounted for three-quarters of gas consumed in 2019, with Russia being one of the main exporters of fossil fuels, according to the Danish Energy Agency.
