The clock is ticking, time is running and 2050 is just around the corner

By Peder Østermark, Chairman, Energy Cluster Denmark

An intention expresses something new you choose to do and put willpower behind it.

Because when it comes to the climate and the green transition, we must at the same time do something new and different – that is my New Year’s resolution – and at the same time I have a resolution to continue to do more of the same.

Let me elaborate; more of the same applies first and foremost on our way to 2030. Here we have set ourselves the ambitious goal of reducing our CO2 emissions by 70 percent. First and foremost, we must succeed in this through the dissemination of well-known energy technologies, which, through cost-out, demonstration, large-scale production and commercialisation, will get us across the finish line. These include wind energy and Power-to-X.

It is therefore my New Year’s resolution that we continue to initiate and complete even more company-driven innovation projects, where Danish researchers from knowledge institutions collaborate with companies on innovation. We are well underway; with us in Energy Cluster Denmark, this applies, for example, to drone transport of equipment for wind farms out at sea or the development of Power-to-X activities in a wind turbine where green hydrogen is produced close to the wind turbine to reduce costs. Strong examples of practical innovation that make a real difference to the participating companies and to the green transition. When it comes to the goal of 100% climate neutrality by 2050, where Denmark will be independent of coal, oil and gas, we are looking into completely new technology tracks that we do not yet know. Here we must do something different from today to achieve our objectives.

Right now, several companies and knowledge institutions are working to capture CO2 from point sources such as chimneys and store CO2 in the underground, which can help us a long way towards a climate-neutral future. However, we must also be able to work with completely different and new technologies to achieve the 2050 target. For example, we must be able to capture CO2 directly out of the air (direct air capture), as must the other greenhouse gases, which we also need to reduce emissions of and capture – and here we do not know the technological advances yet.

It is my New Year’s resolution that we massively support the development of green research, which towards 2050 will be used for technology development and innovation in the industry. The green basic research we support today must become the commercial energy adventure of the future for Denmark if we give proper priority. But we must do so today to be ready in a moment by 2050. Happy New Year.