“We must create a world-class energy system”

Peder Østermark Andreasen, new board chairman of Denmark’s new, strong cluster organisation for energy, Energy Cluster Denmark, sees both a great need for and a great potential in developing a single comprehensive energy system.

The former director of Energinet and chairman of the Energy Innovation Cluster, Denmark’s cluster organisation and innovation network for energy production, has just been appointed as the new chairman of Energy Cluster Denmark.

Energy Cluster Denmark is Denmark’s new cluster organisation for energy, which encompasses the entire sector and unites innovation initiatives across the board. The breadth of Energy Cluster Denmark’s work is absolutely crucial in order for Denmark’s strong and unique competencies in the field of energy to be maintained, says Peder Østermark Andreasen:

 “There must be an even stronger focus on CO2-neutral energy production, efficient use of energy and coupling of sectors. We must learn to view each other and all aspects of the value chain as interconnected. We must see wind, gas, district heating, electricity, and transport as each other’s common, supportive preconditions. We must continue to develop an energy system that is already currently world-class,” says Peder Østermark Andreasen.

Innovation across the board

It is part of the baptismal gift to the new organization that it must deal with a unified energy system; from offshore wind turbines for the use of energy by consumers in an integrated, coupled and energy efficient energy system.

“Big changes await us,” Peder Østermark Andreasen emphasizes.

“We must contribute to rethinking the energy system, and we must help rebuild the value chains. Yesterday we talked about individual industries; today we are talking about industries being merged into sectors. Tomorrow we will talk about sector coupling, so that sectors are united in a single system,” he says.

It requires rallying around the innovation initiatives.

“We are looking into an expansion of the professional scope, but also into a gathering and concentration of efforts. We need the Danish energy system to show the innovative solutions that our SMEs develop – and often in close collaboration with knowledge institutions for the benefit of exports. Our task must be to make it easier for companies to meet with the right partners concerning innovation projects across energy forms and sectors. No matter where in the system you contribute,” says Peder Østermark Andreasen.

The needs of companies

It is the members of three strong, Danish energy clusters – Energy Innovation Cluster, House of Energy and CLEAN Energi – that are now united under Energy Cluster Denmark. Behind are both companies and industry organisations; the board of directors behind the appointment include large international companies such as Vestas, Siemens, Danfoss, Ørsted, EWII and Total as well as universities, knowledge institutions and public sector demand.

Peder Østermark Andreasen is pleased that the new organisation has been created at the request and with the support of a unified industry:

“We have the full commitment of industry organisations, and with more than 200 declarations of support, we have been given a strong mandate. It is absolutely crucial: It must be the companies’ needs that set the agenda for the work we have to perform,” says Peder Østermark Andreasen:

“If we succeed in this, we can both make a decisive contribution to unleashing the potential of creating a single coherent energy system – and thus contribute to fulfilling the great ambitions in the field of energy, which a united Danish parliament supports.”