An important aspect of the GRITH project is engagement and close collaboration with local and regional stakeholders. Our colleagues from the Municipality of Vejle, for example, are committed to forging alliances with businesses with a view to creating energy communities. They have been working on this intensively during a number of recent meetings.
Symbiosis & Energy Network
Vejle engages closely with the Give, Vejle Havn, Vejle N, Vejle S industrial areas with a view to establishing local energy communities. Through facilitation, support and the provision of third-party energy counselling, renewable solutions for each community are investigated based on energy consumption, energy screenings and the assessment of technical opportunities.
Aiming to strengthen the cooperation within the Symbiosis & Energy Network - the name says it all – an important meeting was held at the end of January with companies at the Give North business site to discuss the planned energy park as well as collaborative opportunities and support from the GRITH project and the Danish national programme “Afkopling 2030” (Decoupling 2030). The national programme, with a Water & Energy track, offers expert knowledge on sustainable production, circular economy, innovation and business development and guides companies through the complexities of creating a sustainable business across the entire value and supply chain.
Opportunities for co-ownership
Attending companies were informed about the plans for Give Energy Park and the opportunities for cooperation on renewable energy in the area. Representatives from Give Energy Park elaborated on how the local community can become co-owners of the energy park and, in addition, how Give’s citizens and businesses can gain a number of benefits from having an energy park with renewable energy located in the area. The participants are enthusiastic. Next steps and the opportunities to become co-owners will be explored in a follow-up meeting in April.
Enhancing alliances & local energy plans
Then, on February 2nd, four companies in Vejle South convened for a second time to explore how to enhance existing alliances, specifically in connection with the GRITH partnership. The focus was on joint renewable energy solutions within the industrial area.
Vejle Business facilitated discussions with Elektro Isola, JEVI, Unibolt, and Centrum Pæle centred around district heating solutions, amongst other things, with Vejle Municipality’s strategic energy planner Christina Holmbjørn.Christina also took this opportunity to present the companies with local energy plans in this area.
Further expertise on sustainable energy solutions within an energy community for the business park was shared by Niras Consultancy. Their key message emphasized that the most significant savings are achieved by conserving energy—thus highlighting the importance of energy efficiency.
GRITH - a solid foundation
The GRITH project was also presented by Jens Jørn Josefsen who provided insights into what the consortium aims to achieve while also emphasizing the opportunities for companies in the same geographical region to collaborate on the green transition. This aligns with the national Decoupling 2030 programme mentioned earlier.
Now there is a solid foundation for cooperation in the Velje area, on site companies are keen to join forces in their approach to a green transition.