Ambitious Danish hydrogen production needs Fredericia

The government's hydrogen pipeline proposal excludes Fredericia and preliminarily prioritizes a connection from Esbjerg via Vejen down to the Danish-German border. This is regrettable both for Fredericia and for the overall green Danish hydrogen ambitions, according to Trekantområdet Danmark and Triangle Energy Alliance. Both organizations hope that the Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities, Lars Aagaard, is ready for further dialogue about a future expansion of the pipeline to Fredericia.

In Fredericia lies the refinery that produces and supplies all fuels to Western Denmark. The facility is Western Denmark's only production capacity for deliveries to both the military, emergency services, and the entire civil society and is critical infrastructure. Nevertheless, Fredericia was not included in the equation when the government today presented its proposal for a future Danish hydrogen pipeline infrastructure.

Uncertainty for fuel supply

The government's decision creates both uncertainty about the future fuel supply in Western Denmark and a risk that a number of foreign investors will pull the plug, which is regrettable, says Anders Frandsen, chairman of the board for Triangle Energy Alliance.

"To bypass Fredericia sends the wrong signal to foreign investors, and there is a risk of jeopardizing supply security in the western part of Denmark. Fredericia is important if one wants to establish a green ambitious Danish hydrogen production, and therefore it is so important that the city is included in the further process," says Anders Frandsen, who adds that an extension of the hydrogen pipeline infrastructure from Vejen and onwards to Fredericia only concerns about 40 kilometers and thus constitutes a limited part of a total Danish hydrogen pipeline investment.

Great potential in Fredericia

Denmark's second largest hydrogen factory is located in Fredericia, side by side with one of Denmark's two refineries. Thus, Fredericia could have stood in a unique position as one of the very few places in the country where the produced hydrogen could both be used and at the same time knowledge could be gathered about how large-scale integration of green hydrogen in both production and energy systems in public and private sectors can function optimally while reducing CO2 emissions.

The chairman of Trekantområdet Danmark, Jens Ejner Christensen, regrets the decision not to include Fredericia in the political planning. Especially because the wishes from Trekantområdet had been easy to accommodate.

"We had agreed that the construction of the hydrogen pipeline infrastructure should begin in Esbjerg, we have also said okay to the project first being realized in 2030/2031, and we have accepted that Fredericia is first connected in phase 2. The only thing we asked for was a guarantee that the pipeline would come to Fredericia at a later stage for the sake of both the foreign investors and Fredericia Municipality, and we could not get that," says Jens Ejner Christensen, who, in addition to being chairman of Trekantområdet Danmark, is also mayor of Vejle.

The dialogue must continue

Although both Anders Frandsen and Jens Ejner Christensen are disappointed with the hydrogen proposal, both emphasize that they want to continue the dialogue with the minister and the government.

"We are absolutely sure that the government wants to succeed with an ambitious Danish hydrogen production – but it requires that Fredericia very soon is included in the hydrogen pipeline infrastructure. We very much want to continue the dialogue without delay – because in the end, we all share green hydrogen ambitions, even though we are currently not in agreement on how to get there best and fastest," emphasize both Anders Frandsen and Jens Ejner Christensen.

By: Anders Frandsen, chairman of the board, Triangle Energy Alliance & Jens Ejner Christensen, chairman of the board, Trekantområdet Danmark