CPH 2025

Climate Plan
Roadmap 2021-2025
Lille Langebro. Photo: Troels Heien
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CPH 2025
Climate Plan
Roadmap 2021-2025
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Contents

Reading guide 7
1. Introduction 9
1.1. Roadmap 2021-2025 9
1.2. The CPH 2025 Climate Plan 9
1.3. Status 10
1.4. The four pillars of the CPH 2025 Climate Plan 13
1.5. Climate action perspectives after 2025 14

2. Energy Consumption 19
2.1. Introduction 19
2.2. Status and main challenges 20
2.3. Actions in 2021-2025 22
2.4. Perspectives 23

3. Energy Production 27
3.1. Introduction 27
3.2. Status and main challenges 28
3.3. Actions in 2021-2025 30
3.4. Perspectives 35

4. Mobility 39
4.1. Introduction 39
4.2. Status and main challenges 40
4.3. Actions in 2021-2025 42
4.4. Perspectives 43

5. City Administration Initiatives 47

5.1. Introduction 47
5.2. Status and main challenges 47
5.3. Actions in 2021-2025 49
5.4. Perspectives 51

6. Implementing Roadmap 2021-2025 55

6.1. Introduction 55
6.2. Implementation 55
6.3. Follow-up and analysis 56
6.4. Investment and financial aspects 56

7. Process ahead and climate action perspectives 59

7.1. The process ahead for Roadmap 2021–2025 59
7.2. Perspectives for the period after 2025 59
The Circle Bridge between Islands Brygge and Christianshavn. Photo: Astrid Maria Rasmussen
Reading guide

This document contains the Roadmap 2021–2025 for

KEY CONCEPTS IN ROADMAP 2021–2025
the CPH 2025 Climate Plan. The Roadmap describes the
status of the four pillars of the Climate Plan, based on the
Carbon Neutrality
plan’s 18 launched actions and indicates what is required
The City of Copenhagen will be carbon neutral if the
to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality by 2025.
carbon emissions from the city are offset by activities
that reduce emissions, such as renewable energy
Chapter 1 presents how the City of Copenhagen is work-
production or the planting of trees.
ing on the green transition and describes the status of
these efforts up to the present.
Fossil free
Fossil free means that fossil fuels – such as coal, oil
Chapters 2–5 describe the City’s green transition through
and natural gas – are no longer used to generate
the four pillars of the Climate Plan. Chapter 2 describes
electricity or district heating nor in transportation
the Energy Consumption pillar focusing on reducing
and building projects.
the energy consumed in Copenhagen’s building stock.
Chapter 3 describes the Energy Production pillar
The City of Copenhagen’s envisions that Copenhagen
focused on the green transition of power generation,
must be fossil-free by 2050 (see ‘Fællesskab Køben-
district heating and town gas. Chapter 4 describes the
havn’ (Co-Create Copenhagen).
Mobility pillar by focusing on initiatives that ensure the
transition to green fuels and encourage switching from
Greenhouse Gases
cars to green modes of transport. The Climate Plan’s
Greenhouses gases include carbon dioxide (CO₂),
fourth and final pillar is described in chapter 5 and deals
as well as methane (CH4), nitrous oxid (N2O) and
with City Administration Initiatives. This chapter is
fluorinated gases (F-gases). The impact of these
focused on how the City of Copenhagen can
gases is far more profound than CO₂, which is why
lead the way in the future as well, by investing in retro-
they are usually converted into CO₂ equivalents. For
fitting buildings, green modes of transport and greener
instance, the impact of methane is 28 times greater
procurement.
than that of CO₂.

Chapter 6 outlines a number of crosscutting considera-

tions on implementing the Climate Plan’s initiatives, anal-
yses, carbon accounting and investments up to 2025.

Chapter 7, the document’s final section, sums up the

initiatives in Roadmap 2021–2025 and the perspectives
for the period after 2025.

7
Amager Slope (Copenhill). Photo: Astrid Maria Rasmussen / Copenhagen Media Center
1. Introduction

1.1 ROADMAP 2021–2025 This roadmap does not include initiatives aimed at
The City Council adopted the CPH 2025 Climate Plan reducing these residual emissions. A reduction of this
on 23 August 2012 with the goal that Copenhagen must dimension requires the city to work on analysing and
become carbon neutral by 2025. To make it possible developing new actions and initiatives in the year ahead.
to adapt the plan’s initiatives on an ongoing basis and
provide politicians and partners with the status of the By virtue of the 2020 Budget, the City Council has de-
climate actions, the Climate Plan is to be implemented in cided to initiate two mobility analyses that must define
three subsidiary phases. Each sub-phase is described in the actions in the transport area, as well as to expand
more detail in separate roadmaps describing the status wind-turbine efforts and ARC’s examination of carbon
of climate efforts and defining the focus of initiatives capture. These new actions and initiatives will be
over the next four years. The planning of the CPH 2025 presented as a supplement to Roadmap 2021–2025
Climate Plan’s actions and initiatives parallels their devel- in 2021.
opment and implementation. This means that the plan is
developed in step with the emergence of new knowledge 1.2 THE CPH 2025 CLIMATE PLAN
and technology, as lessons learnt shows what works and Copenhagen’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2025 means
as framework conditions change. that the city aims to become the first carbon neutral capi-
tal in the world. Politically, the city aims to demonstrate
The CPH 2025 Climate Plan includes the first roadmap how it is possible for big cities to create green growth
for the period 2013–2016. Roadmap 2017–2020 was and development, while reducing carbon emissions at
adopted by the City Council on 25 August 2016 with 60 the same time. This aim is one reason why Copenhagen
initiatives that continued and supplemented the actions is an international frontrunner in the climate area.
of the first subsidiary period. Several of these have been
implemented and now contribute significant reductions At the same time, the CPH 2025 Climate Plan seeks
to reaching the 2025 target, exemplified by BIO4 (Unit 4, to enhance Copenhageners’ quality of life by, among
Amager Power Station). other means, using the carbon neutrality goal as a lever
to change behaviour, stimulate innovation, job creation
The anticipated level of carbon emissions in 2025 is cal- and investments. Accordingly, it is crucial to achieve the
culated on the basis of expected societal developments Climate Plan goal by collaborating with and entering into
and the expected effects of the previously implemented strategic partnerships with authorities, universities and
initiatives in the CPH 2025 Climate Plan. This is done to companies. For the same reason, Copenhagen makes it
enable the management of climate actions towards the possible for Danish and international operators to try out
goal of carbon neutrality by 2025, and to evaluate the new solutions and technologies in the city.
effects in terms of a reference without a new roadmap.
Based on the most recent specification, the baseline pro- Copenhageners play a natural part in the green tran-
jection shows that carbon emissions will be to 630,000 sition, which is why the plan gives Copenhageners an op-
tonnes in 2025. The 47 initiatives presented in Roadmap portunity to contribute to and get involved in the climate
2021–2025 are expected to reduce carbon emissions by efforts, e.g. by cycling and walking more, separating
slightly more than 200,000 tonnes by 2025. Thus, an- waste (plastic, biowaste, etc.), saving energy in dwellings
ticipated residual carbon emissions of almost 430,000 and at workplaces, and by investing in PV modules.
tonnes will remain in 2025.

9
1.3 STATUS
NATIONAL FOCUS ON CLIMATE CHANGE
The baseline for the CPH 2025 Climate Plan is
The Paris Agreement of December 2015, places an
Copenhagen’s carbon emissions in 2005, when Copen-
obligation on 171 countries, including Denmark, to
hagen emitted 2.3 tonnes of CO2. Up to 2018, carbon
keep the global temperature rise well below 2°C,
emissions were reduced by almost 1.2 million tonnes,
and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature
mostly due to the green conversion of power-genera-
increase even further to 1.5°C. The Agreement
tion and district heating systems. This is true of both the
entered into effect in 2020. In December 2019, an
conversion process at national level and in Copenhagen
almost unanimous Danish Parliament passed the first
– with the conversion of combined heat and power plants
Climate Act stipulating that Denmark must actively
from coal to biomass and the erection of wind turbines–
pursue the targets of the Paris Agreement. At the
and efforts made to reduce energy consumption both
same time, the Climate Act sets a target of reducing
nationally and locally.
the emission of greenhouse gases in Denmark by
70% by 2030 compared to 1990 and a long-term goal
The reduction was achieved while the population of
of climate neutrality by 2050. The Climate Act stipu-
Copenhagen grew by roughly 22% to more than 620,000
lates that Denmark must be a pioneering country in
at the same time. Juxtaposing Copenhagen’s reduced
the global transition that can inspire and influence
carbon emissions from 2005 to 2018 with the population
the rest of the world.
growth in the same period shows that per capita emis-
sions fell by roughly 57%.
Even before the Climate Act was adopted, the gov-
ernment launched thirteen climate partnerships in
Copenhagen faces a number of challenges in relation to
November 2019. The partnerships are based on the
implementation of the Roadmap’s initiatives up to 2025.
sectors of the Danish business community, as the
This is especially due to the concerns of utilising the ef-
government seeks close collaboration with the busi-
fect of the initiatives aimed at reducing carbon emissions
ness community on how the business community
from road traffic by converting motorised traffic to new
can contribute to addressing the climate challenges.
fuels, and reducing energy consumption in buildings.
The results of the partnerships’ analyses and recom-
mendations were published in March 2020.
The carbon emission trend from 2005 to 2018 is illus-
If the partnerships’ recommendations and proposed
trated in the top figure on p. 12. The figure shows both
actions are adopted in the upcoming Climate Action
the projection up to 2025 if no further action is taken
Plan for Denmark, the City of Copenhagen anticipates
(baseline projection) and projection if the 47 initiatives
that these will be able to support several of the CPH
can be implemented via Roadmap 2021–2025. As the
2025 Climate Plan’s initiatives and actions areas,
graph shows, and as mentioned in the introduction, we
if they are launched without delay. For instance, this
clearly still have a way to go to achieve carbon neutrality.
could intensify focus on saving energy and increasing
These residual emissions must be covered by new
renewable energy production.
actions and initiatives not included in Roadmap 2021-
2025. The actions and initiatives will need to be further
illuminated, and they will be presented in a supplement
to the Roadmap that will be politically processed in 2021.

10
ROLE OF THE CITIES
Urbanisation means that almost two-thirds of the
world population are expected to be living in cities by
2050, compared to just over half today. Cities are al-
ready responsible for a large share of the world’s total
carbon emissions, so in light of the rising population,
it will only be possible to achieve the climate targets
if cities grow and develop according to sustainability
principles. Therefore, the world needs good exam-
ples of how to reduce cities’ greenhouse gas emis-
sions while creating green growth and higher quality
of life at the same time. As a frontrunner in terms of
climate action, Copenhagen can develop solutions
with the business community and financial services
sector that can inspire other cities around the world,
thus helping to globally develop the sustainable cities
of the future.

Fælledparken. Photo: Ursula Bach

 Carbon emissions, Copenhagen 2005-2025

2.500.000

2.000.000

1.500.000
CO2
Tonnes
Ton

1.000.000

500.000

0
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025

Roadmap 2021-2025
Baseline projection Baseline

With Roadmap 2021-2025

Carbon emissions, Copenhagen, 2005–2025, by category

2500

2000

1500
Tonnes

1000

500

0
2005 2010 2018 2025

Other Transport Energy

12
1.4 THE FOUR PILLARS OF THE CPH 2025 CLIMATE PLAN
The CPH 2025 Climate Plan’s specific actions are distributed across the four pillars:

Energy Consumption: The actions under the Energy Mobility: Actions under the Mobility pillar focus on
Consumption pillar work to reduce energy consump- reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the transport
tion in Copenhagen and achieve energy efficiency by sector, generally divided into two groups: One compris-
streamlining operations of district heating units and ing road traffic and the other comprising other modes
other installations and by promoting energy efficiency of transport, such as maritime traffic. The conversion
in refurbishment and new construction projects. This is of buses and harbour buses exemplify this effort. This
supplemented by installing PV modules on buildings effort involves the conversion – wherever possible and
and retrofitting buildings currently heated by oil to e.g. by no later than 2025 – of bus lines that are wholly or
district heating. These efforts are carried out in the En- partly financed by the City of Copenhagen to electric
ergy Leap partnership, in which the City of Copenhagen buses or to other buses with the same positive effects as
collaborates with major building owners in Copenhagen electric buses in terms of zero carbon emissions, signif-
on the efficient management of their properties by mon- icantly less street noise and reduced local air pollution.
itoring energy consumption and optimising building The initiatives for reducing carbon emissions from road
operations. In 2020, the partnership represents 20% of traffic will be included in the supplement to Roadmap
Copenhagen’s combined building stock 2021–2025 on the basis of the mobility analyses launched
under the 2020 Budget. These analyses investigate the
Energi Production: The actions taken under the Energy possibility of reducing carbon emissions from road traf-
Production pillar focus on converting the city’s supplies fic by 50,000, 75,000 and 100,000 tonnes, respectively.
of district heat, town gas and district cooling, as well as
water and waste-water including waste-water treatment, City Administration Initiatives: The actions under the
to carbon neutrality and energy efficiency. Moreover, ef- City Administration Initiatives pillar focus on areas where
forts to convert the electricity system – by erecting wind the city can lead the way by demonstrating how green
turbines and photovoltaic systems, reducing greenhouse solutions can be implemented. The actions involve the
gases from the waste management sector and the pro- city’s buildings, vehicles and procurement, as well as ac-
duction of biogas – are ongoing. The Energy Production tions focused on afforestation outside Copenhagen and
pillar can be exemplified by wind-turbine actions im- building up climate-related knowledge and resource-
plemented by HOFOR which also includes photovoltaic fulness, particularly among children and young people.
systems. These efforts aim to erect a wind-turbine capac- The city’s efforts involving energy-efficient operation
ity of at least 460 MW by 2025. of energy systems in its own buildings exemplify these
ongoing efforts.

Carbon emission reductions in Roadmap 2021–2025 across the

four pillars of the CPH 2025 Climate Plan

2%
4%

Energy consumption
29%
Energy Production
65% Mobility
City Administration
Initiatives

13
1.5 CLIMATE ACTION PERSPECTIVES AFTER 2025 • continue the proliferation of electricity-based
Achieving the goal of carbon neutrality by 2025 will make sources in the district heating system and the inte-
Copenhagen a city with cleaner air, less noise, energy- gration of energy systems, concurrent with the phas-
efficient dwellings and greener mobility. Yet even if ing out of old systems and reduction of biomass use;
Copenhagen does achieve carbon neutrality by 2025,
the green transition will not be over. For this reason • develop integrated resource systems in which the
Copenhagen’s Municipal Plan 2019 stipulates that a new use of resources for energy production is included
climate agreement must be entered into by the City in sustainable, circular value chains and supports the
Council no later than 2023 to determine the line of action transition to a waste-free Copenhagen;
to be taken once Copenhagen achieves carbon neutrality
by setting specific objectives and targets for 2030 and • reduce and convert motorised transport to fossil-free
2035. fuels;

Specifically, Copenhagen will still have residual carbon • enter into collaboratios aimed at developing new
emissions, particularly from road traffic. Moreover, the supply systems based on carbon capture and Pow-
electricity system and, in part the district heating system, er-to-X, that utilise wind power for the production of
will still be based on waste incineration, etc., with a few sustainable fuels.
fossil fuel-based systems on standby. Carbon emissions
in Copenhagen will derive from the consumption of To follow up on Copenhagen’s Municipal Plan 2019, the
goods and services that is beyond the scope of the city will present a plan for the period up to 2023 outlining
Climate Plan, and there may be a need to determine how Copenhagen’s climate actions after 2025, covering the
scarce resources should be sustainably consumed. Thus, areas focused on in the Climate Plan, and outline new
the perspectives for climate-related actions after 2025 visions for the transition to a fossil-free Copenhagen.
can include the following:

• continue retrofitting and implementing energy

efficiency measures in Copenhagen’s building stock,
while developing new solutions that generate a
greater amount of decentralised energy in Copenha-
gen, where buildings’ consumption is more flexible,
so it can be adjusted to variations in electricity pro-
duction from wind turbines and PV modules;

14
Cherry trees, Superkilen Park, Nørrebro district. Photo: Ursula Bach
Copenhagen seen from Christiansborg Palace. Photo: CAECA COPENHAGEN, Copenhagen Media Center
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Photovoltaic project at A/B Landsdommergården, supported by urban renewal funds. Photo: Martin Dietz
2. Energy Consumption

2.1 INTRODUCTION
The Energy Consumption pillar´s share of car-
The Energy Consumption pillar involves efforts to reduce
bon-emission reductions in Roadmap 2021-2025
the energy consumed by Copenhagen’s buildings.
The actions planned are expected to help reduce carbon 2%
emissions by roughly 4,000 tonnes in 2025 compared
to 2018.

The efforts to reduce and optimise the energy consumed

by Copenhagen’s building stock are crucial for the long-
term development of the energy infrastructure and the
production of energy for the city. By reducing energy
consumption, we can reduce the fuel consumption and
eventually the need to expand production capacity. This
will become increasingly relevant when future produc- Energy
Consumption
tion capacity comprises new technologies that have yet
to be fully developed. This is why reducing energy con-
sumption and optimising the building stock are crucial
aspects of the long-term transition. TARGETS FOR ENERGY CONSUMPTION IN
COPENHAGEN BY 2025*
Buildings generally have a long lifespan, which is why
many years often pass between major refurbishing and • 20% reduction in heat consumption.
rebuilding projects. At the same time, the construction
industry is characterised by a widely diverse group of • 20% reduction in the electricity consumed by
actors, from building owners and developers to suppliers commercial and service companies.
and builders, all of whom must actively participate in the
solution if the energy consumption in the building stock • 10% reduction in household energy consump-
is to be reduced and optimised. tion.

• Installation of PV modules equating to 1% of

electricity consumption.

*All targets are relative to 2010.

PILLAR MAIN ACTIONS INITIATIVES

Energy-efficient Energy-efficient operation of district heating units

operations
Electricity savings

Energy Leap partnering with professional

Energy Consumption building owners
The Energy Consump-
Social housing associations
tion pillar in Roadmap
2021–2025 includes ten Property administrators - offers to cooperative and
initiatives distributed homeowner associations
across four main action
Refurbishment and Energy retrofitting in the renewal of urban areas and
areas, with a total reduc-
new build buildings
tion of carbon emissions
of 4,000 tonnes of CO2. Energy-efficient focus in building permits

Sustainability tool for local planning

Conversion Conversion of individually oil-heated buildings

Photovoltaic modules PV Action Plan

Overview of main actions and initiatives in the Energy Consumption pillar

19
Reducing carbon emissions attributable to the city’s renewal funds. 18% of Copenhagen’s building stock is still
buildings requires collaboration with a number of actors. energy-labelled E, F or G, which equates to about 7,600
Based on the city’s own buildings, the City of Copenhagen buildings. To ensure the necessary energy retrofitting
wants to launch actions and drive partnerships involving without incurring disproportionately high housing costs,
the actors needed to collaborate to achieve the energy new financing models and new business models, such
savings. as energy cooperatives, are needed to render the solu-
tions less costly and more efficient. At the same time, the
The actions up to 2025 aim to reduce energy consump- decision-making processes need to be simplified for the
tion and implement new technology. many small cooperative and homeowner associations, as
well as the social housing sector, which have a large back-
2.2 STATUS AND MAIN CHALLENGES log of refurbishment projects. In addition, the conflict of
In order to reduce the consumption of district heating interest between landlord and tenant for investments in
and electricity in publicly and privately owned buildings, energy retrofitting of rental properties needs to be re-
the City of Copenhagen’s actions and initiatives focus on solved.
retrofitting the building stock and the operation of energy Another challenge is that the many new buildings be-
systems. ing built in Copenhagen frequently use more energy in
practice than stipulated in the energy requirements of
Copenhagen’s consumption of district heating (adjusted the Building Code. As Copenhagen is experiencing sub-
for degree days) has stabilised since 2010 while the in- stantial growth in new square metres, the city’s energy
dividual resident’s district heating consumption has consumption will be profoundly affected if new builds
declined since 2010. The unchanged total heat consump- have a higher consumption of electricity and heat than
tion is due to the growth (2.6 million m2) of the built-up stipulated in the Building Code. Consequently, the city is
area of Copenhagen, equating to roughly 5% of the build- reviewing its options for ensuring the newly constructed
ing stock in 2019. buildings do not use more energy than they are rated for.

One reason that heat consumption has not increased is

due to a series of initiatives implemented by HOFOR since
FRAMEWORK CONDITIONS
2010 to optimise district heating units and streamline the
The City of Copenhagen will work to improve the
district heating system. This has helped stabilise con-
conditions for energy-optimising the building stock
sumption. This includes HOFOR’s efforts to convert the
in the following areas:
steam-powered segment of the district heating grid to
water-based heat to reduce heat loss from the grid. This
• Statutory requirements for mandatory energy
project is expected to be completed in 2021. Also, efforts
labelling of all buildings erected before 2000
are being made in urban development areas to reduce the
and for upgrading their energy label to a specific
flow temperature of the district-heating supply. These
minimum over a number of years.
initiatives, combined with day-to-day efforts
to optimise the temperature in the combined district
• A new agreement for energy savings after 2020
heating grid reduce the need for heat production and
(when the energy companies’ current obligation
thus reduce carbon emissions.
to implement energy-efficiency measures ex-
pires), and the development of new business
Electricity consumption has declined in Copenhagen
models and financing solutions that can enhance
since 2010, but it has been unchanged or slightly
the financial incentives to save energy.
increased in recent years. Generally speaking, the city has
limited mechanisms for reducing electricity consump-
• Remove barriers and establish conditions for
tion, and several key initiatives in Roadmap 2017–2020 had
investments in energy retrofitting, while taking
to be abandoned for lack of data and means.
account of architecture, indoor climate and
enhanced daylight
2.2.1. Energy retrofitting is the main challenge
The biggest challenge to achieving the Climate Plan’s goal
• Enhanced financial incentives to invest in PV
to reduce energy consumption in city buildings is that the
modules, particularly in the existing building
City of Copenhagen has very few options for supporting
stock.
energy retrofitting. In practice, the city is only able to
support energy retrofitting in buildings that is owned by
• Ensure better compliance with the building
the city (5% of Copenhagen’s building stock), support
code.
refurbishment in the social housing sector (10% of Co-
penhagen’s building stock), and by supporting the re-
furbishment of privately owned buildings through urban

20
2.2.2. Great potential in optimising operations
FLAGSHIP PROJECTS 2021-2025
Regardless of whether a building is retrofitted, there is a
large potential for savings by optimising the operation of
Urban renewal projects with demonstration value
district heating and ventilation systems. This is also true
At present, urban renewal projects are pioneering
for newly constructed buildings. In these instances,
ventures with a positive impact on the building stock,
HOFOR can deduce from the actual heat consumption,
by providing well-lit, well-insulated dwellings focused
that more than half of newly constructed buildings use
on quality of life, architectural values and attractive
substantially more heat than stipulated in the Building
outdoor spaces.
Code. For the same reason, HOFOR implemented a com-
prehensive action from 2016 to 2020 aimed at optimising
Urban renewal in the City of Copenhagen annually
the city’s many district heating units that with transfers
supports energy retrofitting of roughly 1,000 privately
heat from the district heating system to building radi-
owned housing units.
ators. The result of this estimated savings of 52 GWh a
year, by means of agreements to use smart energy-man-
In 2019, grants were issued to support 16 properties
agement systems and advisory services for 3,700 out of
containing 907 housing units, with expected average
potentially 10,000 major heating customers in Copenha-
energy savings of 23% per property. Support in
gen.
years 2018–2020 particularly focused on replacing
windows with energy-efficient, noise-insulating
2.2.3. Rising electricity consumption
windows. In this same period, support was granted to
During the period 2017–2019, electricity consumption
more than 2,000 housing units.
rose by 4% in Copenhagen, a trend that is expected to
continue to 2025 due to population growth and the in-
Energy Leap
creasing use of electrical devices. At the same time, the
Energy Leap, a partnership comprising the City of
enlargement of the metro network and electrification of
Copenhagen, HOFOR and more than 40 private and
transport and heat production will increase electricity
public-sector property owners and administrators,
consumption further, which also needs to be met.
supports the energy optimisation of the city’s buil-
dings. The partners collaborate on energy savings
In the two previous roadmaps, the City of Copenhagen
in housing units and offices representing 20% of
has launched development partnerships to implement
Copenhagen’s total building stock. A similar partners-
energy savings in the retail and service sectors, most
hip with social housing associations was launched
recently the project ‘Bæredygtig Bundlinje’ (Sustainable
in 2019. Both partnerships are expected to make
Bottom Line). Upscaling these actions has turned out to
noticeable contributions towards reducing the city’s
be difficult, however, and the city generally lacks mecha-
energy consumption up to 2025.
nisms to influence electricity consumption in companies
and housing units in Copenhagen.
Energy-efficient operation of district heating units
If all Copenhagen properties run their district heating
2.2.4. Photovoltaic modules on the way towards the
units efficiently, this could reduce the city’s heat con-
Climate Plan’s goals
sumption by up to 10%. This is why the Climate Plan
By the end of 2019, photovoltaic capacity of 15 MW had
must focus on multiple actions, including the roll-out
been installed in Copenhagen, primarily on city roofs,
of efficient operation of up to half of Copenhagen’s
and these modules generated more than 12,000 MWh of
district heating units
electricity, equating to 0.5% of Copenhagen’s electricity
consumption that year. Based on present initiatives, the
City of Copenhagen expects to achieve the Climate Plan’s
goal that photovoltaic energy must cover 1% of electricity
consumption by 2025.

21
2.3 ACTIONS IN 2021-2025 and increase its energy labelling rating by two catego-
Copenhagen continues to grow, as does the need for en- ries. Urban renewal is expected to support the energy
ergy. Up to 2025, actions aimed at reducing energy con- retrofitting of some 800 housing units a year, thus sup-
sumption in Copenhagen need to be intensified through porting the retrofitting of 4,000 housing units in the
energy-efficient operation of district heating units and period 2021 to 2025.
electricity savings at major consumers, energy retrofit-
ting through urban renewal funds, implementation of The lessons learnt from retrofitting the City of Copenha-
the City of Copenhagen’s PV Action Plan and the re- gen’s own buildings through urban renewal projects and
placement of oil furnaces. The content of the upcoming in the social housing sector will be used to inspire other
national Climate Action Plan can also significantly impact building owners – in the public sector, the social housing
actions in Copenhagen up to 2025. Additional initiatives sector and among private owners – to see the value of
under the Energy Consumption pillar may be included energy retrofitting to meet ambitious energy targets.
in the supplement to Roadmap 2021–2025, which will be
presented in 2021. The City of Copenhagen will engage in dialogue with
building developers and client consultants on how they
2.3.1.Energy-efficient operations can support the City of Copenhagen’s energy efficiency
The action ‘Efficient operation’ of district heating units targets in new and existing buildings as part of the draft-
will be disseminated throughout the city in the period ing of new local development plans. This will be achieved
towards 2025. Specifically, this means that the initiative by applying a new sustainability tool in the local planning
to reduce heat consumption through intelligent energy process and through dialogue and information meetings
management systems will be further disseminated, and with developers and consultants.
HOFOR’s initiative to train operating staff in collaboration
with the HVAC sector will be continued. The City of Co- 2.3.3. PV Action Plan
penhagen supports the effort through the Energy Leap Towards 2025, the City of Copenhagen will draft and im-
partnership and by partnering with the social housing plement a photovoltaic action plan aimed at describing
sector. Also, the City of Copenhagen will initiate collab- the actions the city can implement in collaboration with
oration with property administrators aimed at reaching building owners, contractors and suppliers of photo-
cooperative and homeowner associations with offers on voltaic solutions to achieve the Climate Plan’s target
energy-efficiency initiatives. stipulating that 1% of the baseline 2010 electricity con-
sumption, or 26,000 MWh, must be generated by PV
In the period 2021–2025, energy savings will focus on modules by 2025. Efforts to install PV modules is rooted
major consumers of electricity and their possibility of in the Energy Consumption pillar, as it is linked to Co-
reducing consumption. This is why efforts are focused on penhagen’s building stock, and, because it is assessed
optimising the electricity consumption of major building that PV solutions are best implemented if done in syn-
owners in the Energy Leap partnership, which includes ergy with energy-efficiency measures. The PV Action
managing electricity used for ventilation and in large- Plan will utilise the specific lessons learnt from urban
scale catering establishments. In addition, the action renewal’s pilot project Solar District North-West, whose
will target the reduction of electricity consumption at target is to install 5 MW of PV capacity in the North-West
the city’s utility companies. In this context, BIOFOS is district alone by 2025.
expected to contribute with electricity savings in its
waste-water treatment processes, while HOFOR’s 2.3.4. Conversion of oil furnaces
proliferation of district cooling in Copenhagen is Roughly 500,000 square metres in Copenhagen are
expected to help reduce electricity consumption, as not connected to the district heating grid. A substantial
district cooling replaces individual cooling systems that number of these are heated by oil furnaces. As part of
traditionally use more electricity than district cooling. Roadmap 2021–2025, the aim is to identify these prop-
erties and launch initiatives to support the conversion to
2.3.2. Refurbishment and new build renewable energy sources, district heating or town gas
Towards 2025, urban renewal in the City of Copenha- by 2025.
gen will continue to lead the way with ambitious energy
retrofitting projects. The aim of urban renewal projects The City of Copenhagen will join forces with HOFOR to
is that every property, depending on preservation value, identify which properties use oil for heating and clarify
must reduce its energy consumption by at least 20–30% which actions can be implemented to reduce this.

22
2.4. PERSPECTIVES extent. In some instances, buildings will have to store
By saving energy, we can save the resources used to gen- energy and consume energy when green energy is
erate energy and reduce the energy bill paid by compa- present in the system. In addition to a more intelligently
nies and individual households. managed energy consumption, it is also crucial to inte-
grate the various energy distribution systems into one
Efforts to reduce and optimise the energy consumed by combined system.
Copenhagen’s building stock are therefore crucial for
the long-term development of the city’s energy infra- This will require a keener focus on circular economy by
structure and its energy-production capacity. If Copen- enhancing efforts to reduce carbon emissions generated
hagen fails to reduce the energy consumed in its build- by the production and transportation of building mate-
ings , Copenhagen will have to invest in new production rials. Specifically, this will mean a keener focus on reduc-
capacity to meet future needs. By reducing energy con- ing the consumption of resources and recycling building
sumption and using energy more flexibly, we can reduce materials to reduce the need to use resources and en-
carbon emissions as well as the need to invest in new ergy to manufacture new building materials. In addition,
facilities at the same time. buildings could eventually become carbon sinks, e.g. by
using more wood in buildings. By using wood, the city’s
Future energy systems are expected to be flexible and buildings will eventually be able to not only reduce car-
based on renewable energy, which is why buildings must bon emissions but also act as carbon sinks.
be integrated into the energy system to a far greater

PROJECTS AND PARTNERSHIPS Together with Climate KIC, the City of Copenhagen has
received financing from the European Institute of
ATELIER Innovation and Technology (EIT) to set up a task force
ATELIER is a five-year project supported by the EU focused on the local transition. Over the next five years,
Horizon 2020 programme. The aim of the project is to the Climate Task Force must coordinate and develop
work out how the building stock can be converted from actions particularly focused on local and urban renewal
only consuming energy to also producing energy. In efforts. The project is intended to supplement existing
this context, Copenhagen will work together with eight efforts and link strategic knowledge of climate and
other major European cities, including Amsterdam energy efforts closely together with the implemen-
and Bilbao, to demonstrate how authorities, residents, tation of local initiatives such as PV modules, energy
business/industry and knowledge institutions can efficiency and car-sharing. This climate action will be
work together to develop an urban infrastructure that decentralised and require a local approach involving
results in the creation of energy-positive urban areas. owners, residents and investors.
An urban area is defined as energy positive when its
buildings generate more energy annually than they GREEN RETROFITTING OF SOCIAL HOUSING
consume. Levantkajen and Tunnelfabrikken in Nord- In May 2020, the Danish government, backed by a wide
havn are included as demonstration areas. ATELIER will majority in the parliament, adopted an agreement to
build on lessons learnt from EnergyLab Nordhavn with earmark DKK 30.2 billion for the green retrofitting of
intelligent flexibility in the consumption and produc- housing units in the social housing sector up to 2026.
tion of energy, as well as mobility. As part of the project, The agreement aims to ensure healthy, contemporary
a collaboration forum is established across the cities to social housing for the benefit of tenants, the green
ensure that the cities draw on one another’s resources transformation and the restoration of the Danish econ-
early in the development process. omy. DKK 18.4 billion is earmarked for projects that can
be initiated in 2020 and 2021. The City of Copenhagen
CLIMATE TASK FORCE expects that 42 projects can be initiated with a total
The Climate Task Force project aims to promote the capital expenditure of DKK 2.5 billion in 2020 and
CPH 2025 Climate Plan’s action areas locally and help 2021. The project will comprise 11,000 housing units
disseminate the lessons learnt from local projects to in Copenhagen and provide scope for significant im-
the rest of Copenhagen. The sustainable transition is provements of social housing in Copenhagen and add
under way in the individual urban renewal projects, a green focus to the actions. Initially, projects will be
and projects such as EnergiForum Sydhavn have put on a waiting list to undergo a green screening
shown the potential to focus its efforts on climate process. The agreement also generates additional
action in a specific area. incentives to energy-retrofit the social housing sector
in the amount of DKK 6 billion because a new green
guarantee is being developed.

23
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Wind turbines in Øresund. Photo: Bhart9070/Pixabay
HOFOR’s new bio incineration facility, BIO 4. Photo: HOFOR
3. Energy Production
Energy
Consumption
3.1 INTRODUCTION
The Energy Production pillar’s share of carbon
The biggest source of carbon emissions in 2018 was
emission reductions in Roadmap 2021–2025
the production of energy consumed in Copenhagen.
In 2010, the consumption of electricity, district heat and
town gas generated total carbon emissions of 1.6 million
tonnes, equivalent to 76% of total emissions in Copenha- 65%
gen. In 2018, carbon emissions related to energy con-
sumption had been reduced to 723,000 tonnes, equating
to 59% of Copenhagen’s carbon emissions. By 2025,
carbon emissions are expected to be reduced to 112,000
tonnes, equating to 20%, when taking account of general
systems developments and the impact of implemented
initiatives such as BIO4 (Unit 4, Amager Power Station).

This means that the energy sector will no longer be the Energy Production
biggest polluter in Copenhagen, but reduceable residual
emissions will remain and there will be an opportunity to
TARGETS FOR ENERGY PRODUCTION IN
become a net energy exporter thereby offsetting residual
COPENHAGEN BY 2025
emissions that are expected particularly in the transport
sector. The conversion of energy production from fossil
• District heating in Copenhagen is carbon neutral
fuels to green alternatives and better utilization of Co-
penhagen’s resources, such as waste, continues to be a
• Power generated on wind energy and biomass
key element in the efforts to make Copenhagen carbon
exceeds the city’s total consumption of electricity
neutral by 2025

• Plastic from households and companies will be

outsorted from waste

PILLAR MAIN ACTIONS INITIATIVES

Carbon Neutral District Continued securing of sustainable biomass

Heating
Development of the future district-heat production

Development of the future district-heating system

Reducing the need for peak load production

Converting peak and reserve load capacity

Energy production
Carbon Neutral Utilities Green town gas
The Energy Production
pillar in Roadmap 2021– Development of district cooling
2025 includes sixteen
Carbon neutral water supplies and sewerage
initiatives distributed
across four main action Carbon-neutral waste-water processing
areas, with a total reduc-
Wind and Sun Establish onshore wind turbines
tion of carbon emissions
of 130,000 tonnes. Establish offshore wind turbines

Establish large-scale PV systems

Resources and Waste Establishing materials recovery facilities (Dirty MRF)

Implementing biogas solution for organic household waste

Higher level of household waste sorting

Higher level of business/industry waste sorting

Overview of main actions and initiatives in the Energy Production pillar

27
The Energy Production pillar includes actions targeting industrial production as heat sources that can be in-
energy and utility systems which supply the city with cluded in the supply of district heating. In addition,
electricity, district heating, town gas, water, district cool- experiments involving geothermal energy which exploits
ing, etc. The two biggest action areas are the conversion subsurface heat have been conducted at Margrethe-
of district-heating supplies and the establishment of holmen. In its service life up to now, the system has en-
wind turbines to meet electricity consumption in Co- countered a number of challenges, but provides valuable
penhagen. However, actions to make town gas, water lessons in terms of the possibilities of establishing and
and sewerage systems and waste-water treatment more operating geothermal heat production in Copenhagen.
carbon neutral and proliferating new types of supply, HOFOR, CTR and VEKS have previously had an explora-
such as district cooling, are also important to help Co- tion and extraction monopoly for geothermal energy in
penhagen achieve its goals. The Energy Production pillar the capital region.
includes actions targeting the production of solar and
wind energy both within and outside Copenhagen. They released this monopoly in 2019, enabling private
operators to bid for the contract and develop geother-
To better utilise the city’s waste in the future, the Energy mal solutions in the district heating system of Greater
Production pillar also includes initiatives to recover waste Copenhagen. Geothermal energy is a source of heat with
to make it recyclable, instead of sending it to incineration long-term potential to replace part of the biomass-based
plants. Copenhageners’ separation of food waste is a spe- heat production.
cific example of how to better utilise resources, because
this food waste is biogassified at a biogas facility, the
residual product from which is used to fertilise organic
fields, etc. This exploits both the energy and the nutrients
in the biodegradable waste.

FRAMEWORK CONDITIONS
3.2 STATUS AND MAIN CHALLENGES
The City of Copenhagen will work to ensure better
Up to now, efforts to reduce carbon emissions from
framework conditions for the green conversion of the
energy production for Copenhagen could generally be
energy sector, in the following areas:
divided into four action areas: Carbon-neutral district
heating, carbon-neutral utilities, wind and solar power,
• Creating clear framework conditions for a
as well as resources and waste. Since the adoption of the
socio-economic valuation of energy storage.
Climate Plan, a number of initiatives have been
implemented in each of these areas to make
• Supporting the ongoing process to prepare
Copenhagen’s energy system greener.
national sustainability requirements for solid
biomass based on new requirements stipulated
3.2.1. Carbon Neutral District Heating
in the EU Renewable Energy Directive.
in 2019, HOFOR’s new biomass-fired power station unit,
BIO4, was put into operation at Amager Power Station.
• Maintaining mandatory connection to the district
BIO4 replaces the last coal-fired power station unit in
heating system in Copenhagen to ensure that
Copenhagen, meaning that all heat and power produc-
district heating remains the primary supply of
tion at Amager Power Station, which supplies district
heat in Copenhagen.
heating to Copenhagen, has been converted from coal to
biomass. This also means that more than 80% of Copen-
• Working concurrently to urge the state to waive
hagen’s district heating is carbon neutral. The remaining
the CHP requirement so that district heating
20% of the heat is generated from the fossil fraction in
units without electricity generation, such as heat
waste and by the city’s peak load and reserve load plants
pumps and geothermal energy can be included
– most of which are fired with oil and natural gas – gener-
in the collective heating system.
ating energy in cold weather, when consumption levels
are high or in the event of breakdowns at the central CHP
• Developing the rules for socio-economic assess-
plants.
ment of heating projects so it will be possible to
disregard fossil fuel alternatives or that carbon
HOFOR partners with CTR (common district heating
emissions and environmental factors are given
system of five Greater Copenhagen municipalities) and
higher priority.
VEKS (district heating for the western part of Greater
Copenhagen) to develop and demonstrate alternative
• Working out a national strategy and action plan
sources of energy for district heating. For example, HO-
for the development of solar power and onshore
FOR, CTR AND VEKS jointly test the use of large heat
wind power.
pumps in Copenhagen that use purified waste water,
seawater and groundwater, as well as surplus heat from

28
3.2.2. Carbon Neutral Utilities Finally, HOFOR has for years been working to establish
Concurrent with the conversion of electricity and district and enlarge the district cooling grid, which supplies
heating systems, the City of Copenhagen, HOFOR and cooling to multiple commercial customers and office
BIOFOS are working to convert other utility systems in buildings in the inner city, Ørestad and Østerbro dis-
Copenhagen so that all city utilities contribute to the tricts. In 2018, 70 MW of district cooling was established
carbon neutrality goal by 2025. These utilities comprise for commercial customers in Copenhagen. District cool-
town-gas supply, district cooling, water supply, as well as ing is similar to the collective supply of district heating
sewerage and waste-water processing. and is an eco-friendly alternative to individual cooling
systems. The primary source of district cooling in Copen-
HOFOR’s town-gas network is currently well on its way to hagen is free cooling based on seawater.
becoming 40% carbon neutral. This result is achieved by
replacing natural gas with biogas from waste-water treat- 3.2.3. Wind and Sun
ment at two of BIOFOS’ water treatment facilities. Besides In 2017, the City Council authorised HOFOR to erect large
the production of biogas for the town-gas network, BIO- PV facilities as part of its wind turbine strategy. In spring
FOS also generates electricity and district heating at its 2020, HOFOR has commissioned its first PV project with a
facilities and has been a net energy-producing company total output of 20 MW. The establishment of large-scale PV
since 2014. The BIOFOS strategy for the years 2020–2025 systems is part of HOFOR’s wind-turbine strategy, which is
sets a new standard by aiming to be climate-positive why it is included under the Energy Production pillar.
by 2025. Basically, this means that BIOFOS will not bur-
den the climate with greenhouse gases but will design The establishment of PV on Copenhagen rooftops is
and run its waste-water processing facilities so that the included as an initiative under the Energy Consumption
climate is subjected to fewer carbon emissions than if pillar, as it is associated with retrofitting and energy-effi-
BIOFOS hadn’t existed. HOFOR is working on energy-ef- cient operation of the building stock.
ficiency solutions for its water supply and sewer systems,
installing PV modules at technical facilities and planting By late 2019, HOFOR – which implements Copenhagen’s
trees in water catchment areas. Today, HOFOR, in col- wind-turbine actions – had established and erected
laboration with the Danish Nature Agency, has planted wind turbines with a total output of 114 MW. HOFOR has
almost 11 km2 of open broadleaf woodland that binds erected wind turbines in Copenhagen and elsewhere in
CO2 during its lifetime. Denmark.

Waste sorting. Photo: Ursula Bach

In addition, HOFOR purchased Ørsted’s share of wind 3.3. ACTIONS IN 2021-2025
turbines (20 MW) at Middelgrunden in 2018, with a view In the period up to 2025, the City of Copenhagen will
to renewing the turbines when their current service life focus on action areas relating to the conversion of energy
runs out around 2025. Wind turbines help meet elec- and utility systems in Copenhagen, on carbon-neutral
tricity consumption needs in Copenhagen by providing district heating, carbon neutral utilities and on increas-
renewable energy, equating to a combined reduction of ing the sorting of plastic and biodegradable waste. In
carbon emissions of 100,000 tonnes in 2018, from HO- addition, wind turbine actions will be continued and
FOR’s wind turbines and other wind turbines erected in widened. Finally, Energy Production actions will be sup-
Copenhagen, owned by among other local wind-turbine plemented by studies of carbon capture.
cooperatives.
3.3.1. Carbon Neutral District Heating
Since HOFOR lost the state contracts in 2015 and 2016 Up to 2025, efforts will be made to increase the prolifera-
for 350 MW of offshore wind turbines and withdrew tion of future districting-heating solutions and to reduce
from a tender for wind turbine capacity of 600 MW at the residual fossil fuels currently used in the district
Kriegers Flak, the City of Copenhagen and HOFOR have heating system. Efforts focused on future district heating
particularly focused on establishing offshore wind tur- solutions involve continuing to develop and implement
bines through the Danish Energy Agency’s ‘Open Door’ technologies, such as heat pumps and geothermal en-
scheme whereby wind turbine projects are developed in ergy, at the same time that areas of the city will transition
phases with the relevant authorities. From 2019 to 2021, to low-temperature district heating, particularly in urban
HOFOR and the City of Copenhagen will be looking into development areas.
the possibility of erecting wind turbines in Øresund at
Nordre Flint (situated off the coast of Copenhagen east Lowering the temperature in district heating is an impor-
of Saltholm) and at Aflandshage (south of Copenha- tant contribution, because it both reduces heat loss and
gen). enables better utilisation and integration of large-scale
heat pumps, for instance. In addition, HOFOR and CTR
3.2.4. Resources and Waste will work to reduce the use of fossil fuels in peak-load
In autumn 2017, it became possible for most Copenha- production. This can be achieved by reducing the peak
geners to separate their biodegradable waste at source, load need through thermal storage systems and flexible
meaning that roughly 25% of Copenhagen’s biodegrad- consumption, and at the same time efforts are made
able waste was collected for recycling in 2019. Currently, to convert the residual fossil peak load production into
biodegradable waste is driven to Hashøj Biogas in central using biofuels or electricity. Successfully promoting
Zealand, where it is biogassified and used to generate the proliferation of more decentralised energy systems,
electricity and heat, used locally. such as heat pumps, geothermal energy, etc., in the city,
requires the City of Copenhagen to focus on earmarking
Plastic in waste incineration is one of the remaining areas for energy purposes, so that future facilities are
sources of carbon emissions in the district heating sys- integrated into the planning of urban development and
tem. Since the adoption of the Climate Plan, the City of suitable heat sources in the city and that areas are set
Copenhagen and ARC have actively worked to remove aside for both energy production facilities and thermal
plastic in collaboration with Copenhageners and Co- storage systems, for instance.
penhagen companies. For the same reason, it became
possible in 2017 for Copenhageners to sort hard and soft All CPH plants supplying heat to Copenhagen’s district
plastic for recycling. Today, 3,700 tonnes of plastic waste heating system currently use certified, sustainable bi-
is sorted for recycling in Copenhagen each year, equat- omass. Up to 2025, HOFOR is participating in efforts to
ing to 23% of the total volume of plastic waste. The target develop national sustainability requirements for solid
is to sort 13,000 tonnes of plastic waste for recycling by biomass based on new requirements from the Renewa-
2025, equating to 86% of the total volume of plastic. ble Energy Directive that will replace the existing sector
agreement.

30
Amager Bakke seen from Lynette harbour, Refshaleøen. Photo: Christoffer Regild / ARC
3.3.2. Carbon Neutral Utilities
PROJECTS AND PARTNERSHIPS
In the period towards 2025, efforts will be made to con-
vert HOFOR’s town-gas network to exclusively use green
Energy på Tværs
gas. This must happen by increasing the production of
Energi på Tværs is a collaborative project between the
biogas at waste-water treatment facilities, but this can
Capital Region of Denmark, Gate 21, 11 utility compa-
also be achieved by investing in the production of biogas
nies and 33 municipalities in Greater Copenhagen.
outside Copenhagen.
The parties collaborate through the project on spe-
cific actions supporting the transition in the Capital
The district cooling system must continue to be ex-
Region with targets for a fossil-free energy sector in
panded and developed with district cooling production
2035 and a fossil-free transport sector in 2050.
from seawater, groundwater, etc., so it is possible to
supply efficient, eco-friendly cooling of server rooms and
District Heating of the Future
ambient cooling for commercial customers. In addition,
in the Capital Region 2050
the possibilities of exploiting surplus heat from the pro-
‘District Heating of the Future in the Capital Region
duction of district cooling in the district heating system
2050’ is collaborative project involving the three
will be studied.
major district heating companies in Greater Copen-
hagen: CTR, HOFOR and VEKS, as well as Vestfor-
Up to 2025, efforts will continue to focus on actions in
brænding on the development of a heating vision for
the water and waste-water systems that help streamline
Greater Copenhagen’s district heating system. The
energy consumption, increase the production of renewa-
project aims to contribute with a common vision for
ble energy from biogas, as well as continue to plant trees
developing the district heating system so it is capable
in water catchment areas, which both protect Greater
of supporting the green transformation and stabilise
Copenhagen’s drinking water and absorb CO2.
heating prices and maintain a high reliability of sup-
ply at the same time.
3.3.3. Wind and Solar Power
The City of Copenhagen’s current target for its wind-tur-
Investigation project on Carbon Capture
bine actions is to have erected 460 MW of wind turbine
The City of Copenhagen has just completed an inves-
capacity by 2025. To achieve this, HOFOR continues their
tigation project on carbon capture and the part it can
efforts to establish onshore wind turbines in Copen-
play in making cities carbon neutral. The project was
hagen and outside the city boundary. Concurrent with
carried out with support from the Carbon Neutral
efforts to erect onshore wind turbines, HOFOR will work
Cities Alliance (CNCA) in cooperation with NIRAS,
to establish large-scale photovoltaic units that are a good
Bellona (Norwegian NGO), as well as Amsterdam,
supplement to wind energy in the energy system of the
Helsinki, Oslo and Stockholm. The lessons learnt
future.
from the project have been passed on in the part-
nership with ARC concerning the establishment of a
In addition, HOFOR and the City of Copenhagen con-
carbon-capture facility at the Amager Bakke facility.
tinue their efforts to establish large offshore wind farms,
preferably as close to Copenhagen as possible. The two
Renewable Energy Lolland
areas in Øresund (Nordre Flint and Aflandshage, for
In 2016, a collaboration agreement was entered into
which feasibility studies were conducted in 2019 and
between Lolland Municipality and HOFOR concern-
2020) have the potential to contain 410 MW of wind
ing the project Renewable Energy Lolland (REEL). In
turbine capacity.
2019, the agreement was extended until 2022 and
SEAS-NVE entered as a third party to the agreement
Provided that HOFOR is able to erect the two planned
at the same time. The object of the agreement is to
wind farm projects in Øresund, the City Council adopted
develop collaboration relating to energy systems and
the decision (in Budget 2020) to increase the target by
the resulting creation of more jobs on Lolland. Other
an additional 100 MW for a combined total of 560 MW
collaboration themes are aimed at tourism, food
by the end of 2025. Accordingly, it is crucial for an en-
production and marketing, regional energy conver-
largement of the wind turbine action that it is possible to
sion and the utilisation of electricity from renewables
establish wind turbines in Øresund. This will be clarified
in the transport sector.
before the presentation of supplements to Roadmap
2021–2025 in 2021.

At the same time, HOFOR is cooperating with other com-

panies and operators on the development of photovol-
taic power stations and wind farms (including offshore
wind farms) in the rest of Denmark.

32
3.3.4. Resources and waste 3.3.5. Carbon Capture
‘Circular Copenhagen: Resource and Waste Manage- Carbon capture is a process in which carbon dioxide can
ment Plan 2024’, adopted by the City Council in 2019, be removed from an emission source, such as a chimney
stipulates a number of initiatives that support the CPH at a power plant or incineration plant. The captured CO2
2025 Climate Plan’s goal to remove plastic and biode- can subsequently be used as either a resource (carbon
gradable waste from the rest of household waste. The capture and usage, e.g. to produce fuels) or stored un-
actions described in the Resource and Waste Manage- derground (carbon capture and storage). ARC and the
ment Plan comprise initiatives involving a higher col- City of Copenhagen have jointly prepared studies of
lection of plastic from households and a goal to boost potential solutions and technological maturity for various
removal at the source of industrial waste, which requires carbon-capture solutions.
funds to be earmarked for this in the city budget, how-
ever.The target and expectation is to remove 13,000 In Budget 2020, the City Council noted that ARC is work-
tonnes of plastic waste by 2025, equating to the target of ing to establish a pilot facility that could pave the way
86% of the total volume of plastic. for a full-scale facility at ARC. This facility could capture
carbon in the future if it turns out be a good climate
The Resource and Waste Management Plan includes an investment. In its current efforts, ARC is studying how to
initiative to establish a waste sorting facility at ARC for the reduce the energy consumed by the process and how to
removal of recyclable materials such as plastic and metal use surplus heat from the process in district heating, etc.
from residual waste and an initiative to establish a biogas ARC and the City of Copenhagen expect that the estab-
plant close to the city for biodegradable waste removed lishment of a large carbon capture facility will be able to
at source by Copenhageners. A decision has been made render waste incineration carbon neutral by capturing
to establish a biogas plant in Solrød and put ARC in the CO2 generated by the fossil fraction of the waste.
charge of establishing a pre-treatment facility intended
to convert Copenhageners’ biodegradable waste into The carbon-capture efforts at the incineration plant are
green biogas. Like the waste separation facility, the bio- not deemed an alternative to existing actions to remove
gas solution at ARC is expected to be completed by late fossil waste fractions, but a supplement to them.
2021.

Altogether, the initiatives contribute to an increased

production of biogas capable of replacing the use of
fossil (natural) gas and to reduce the volume of plastic in
waste incineration, thereby reducing carbon emissions
in Copenhagen’s energy systems. In a long-term per-
spective, the initiatives contribute to the establishment
of a more circular economy, in which a larger segment of
Copenhagen’s resources are reused and recycled.

District cooling facility, Ørestad Photo: HOFOR

Energy supply facilities in the City of Copenhagen

Possibility
160 MW of
wind turbine
capacity at
Nordre Flint

Possibility
250 MW of wind
turbine capacity
at Aflandshage

Existing heat pumps/geothermal energy Heating and power plants

Potential heat pumps/geothermal energy Heating plants

District cooling plants

Waste-water treatment facilities

Town gas plants

Electricity production
(wind turbines and PV modules)

34
3.4. PERSPECTIVES wherever possible be able to utilise all the local energy
It is important to view the green transformation of sources that are available, such as surplus heat, seawater,
Copenhagen up to 2025 as a stepping stone to devel- waste water and geothermal energy. Initiatives for the
oping the city further towards 2050, as efforts are being CPH 2025 Climate Plan that support the districting heat-
made in the energy sector to convert and develop large- ing system of the future and the period after 2025 include
scale utility systems and investments in facilities that have working on low-temperature areas, developing flexible
service lives of up to 30–50 years. consumption solutions and using local heat sources in
large heat pumps.
A key focus of the long-term conversion of the energy
systems is to phase out all fossil energy sources at the It is expected that new technological pilot projects such
same time as new technologies (such as surplus heat as Power-to-X can be established in or near Copenha-
from Power-to-X facilities, large heat pumps and geo- gen as it requires the setting aside of large areas for
thermal energy) capable of delivering the district heating technological purposes. This is exemplified by a hydro-
of the future are implemented. These technologies can gen factory that a number of major Danish companies
possibly be integrated to such a great extent that they can want to establish on Avedøre Holme or Amager, which
replace new combined heat and power units in the future is intended to supply buses, lorries, ships and aircraft
when the service lives of existing units at Avedøre and with green fuels. If these facilities are placed in Greater
Amager Power Stations end. The sustainable biomass Copenhagen, the surplus heat from the facilities can be
currently used for combined heat and power production utilised in the district heating system. Power-to-X covers
at these units can subsequently be used for other pur- a number of technologies that use surplus electricity
poses. For instance, the biomass can be converted into from renewable energy sources to manufacture new
synthetic and advanced fuels that can be included in the products such as synthetic fuels or chemicals. Pow-
conversion of the transport sector. er-to-X is combinable with CO2 from carbon-capture
systems to manufacture synthetic fuels such as gas or
In the future, it is expected that most of our energy liquid fuels. Accordingly, it could be relevant to site these
production will be based on renewable and fluctuating technologies in Greater Copenhagen, as there would be
resources such as wind and solar power. To maximise the both a demand for the product which the technology can
use of this energy requires that the City of Copenhagen, produce, while CO2 can possibly be supplied by a carbon
the city’s companies and partners work to integrate more capture facility. Greater Copenhagen is also the site of a
renewable energy locally, such as through thermal stor- large district heating system which can exploit surplus
age systems, and exploit surplus energy whenever it is heat from Power-to-X.
available. The district heating system of the future must

Inderhavnsbro bridge between Nyhavn and Christianshavn. Photo: Troels Heien

 FLAGSHIP PROJECTS 2021-2025 to increase the removal of plastic. This will happen both
through increased communication and providing bet-
Offshore wind farms ter removal and separation options in the city. A total of
Since 2011, HOFOR has used the Danish Energy 750 sorting points will be set up around the city to make
Agency’s ‘Open Door’ scheme to set aside two areas it easier for the people of Copenhagen to deposit their
in Øresund for the establishment of offshore wind separated household waste as part of daily routines in
turbines. There is a potential to establish up to 410 MW the city.
of wind turbine capacity in these two areas. During
2020, HOFOR plans to conclude the technical feasibility Climate-positive waste-water processing
studies and environmental impact assessments in the BIOFOS processes wastewater from Copenhagen and
two areas. The tasks of subsequent phases include 14 other municipalities. Its strategy is to become climate
official processing, installation permits, design engine- positive by 2025, which means that the company will
ering, procurement, installation and grid connection. generally remove more carbon dioxide than it emits.
If all goes well and no undue delays occur, it will at best This target will be achieved by using waste-water re-
be possible to erect wind turbines in 2024. The wind sources to produce more biogas and district heating
turbines can serve as a green transformation landmark than is produced today, by making a targeted effort to
in Greater Copenhagen. implement energy efficiency and streamlining mea-
sures in day-to-day operations, as well as to produce
Circular Copenhagen and sell more green energy than the company buys.
In 2018, the City Council adopted a Resource and Waste The biogas currently produced by BIOFOS’ systems is
Management Plan for the city called ‘Circular Copen- e.g. used in HOFOR’s town-gas network, where it helps
hagen’. The plan focuses on promoting the circular displace the use of fossil (natural) gas and ensure that
economy, whereby we move away from a throw-away town gas used by Copenhageners and companies emits
culture towards a situation in which large segments of less CO2.
waste flows are recycled as resources. The plan’s target
is to recycle 70% of Copenhagen’s household waste by
2024, instead of sending it to incineration.

The Resource and Waste Management Plan helps re-

duce the city’s carbon emissions in several areas. Part of
the plan involves getting ARC to help establish a biogas
plant close to the city for Copenhageners’ biodegra-
dable waste. The plan also includes a series of actions

36
Offshore wind farm. Photo: Ursula Bach
Sunset at Amager Fælled. Photo: Ursula Bach
4. Mobility

4.1. INTRODUCTION
The Mobility pillar’s share of carbon emission
Carbon emissions from the transport sector fell from
reductions in Roadmap 2021–2025
2010 to 2018, whereas the transport sector’s share of total
carbon emissions in Copenhagen rose in the same
period. 29%

In 2010, total carbon emissions from the Copenhagen

transport sector were 550,000 tonnes, equivalent to 25%
of the city’s total carbon emissions. In 2019, the Copen-
hagen transport sector’s carbon emissions were 510,000
tonnes, equivalent to 40% of the city’s total carbon emis-
sions. The baseline projection in Roadmap 2021–2025
expects the transport sector to be the highest source of
Copenhagen’s carbon emissions from 2021. If the trans- Mobility
port sector fails to substantially reduce its carbon emis-
sions in the period 2021–2025, it may be very difficult
to achieve the CPH 2025 Climate Plan’s goal of carbon
neutrality by 2025.
TARGETS FOR MOBILITY
Road traffic, with an emission of 368,000 tonnes, is IN COPENHAGEN BY 2025
responsible for the vast majority of carbon emissions
from the transport sector in 2018. This is also why efforts • 75 % of all trips in Copenhagen are on foot, by
to convert road traffic to carbon neutral transport and bike or public transport
minimise the number of kilometers driven account for – With the municipal plan of 2019 this has been
the greatest potential reduction, e.g. by switching from supplemented with the goal that at least 25%
cars to cycling, walking and public transport and by con- of the trips will be by bike, 25% will be with
verting vehicles to fossil-free fuels. public transport and 25% will be on foot.
Furthermore, it is explicitly stated that car
The Mobility pillar include the areas road traffic, ship- traffic can take up a maximum of 25% of all
ping, rail traffic, air traffic and off-road mobile machinery. trips in Copenhagen
Off-road mobile machinery and air traffic are included
in the transport sector’s carbon emissions according to • 50% of all trips to work or school are by bike
percentage apportionment figures based on national
values. No municipal actions for rail or air traffic are • 20% more passengers use public transport
included in Roadmap 2021–2025, as this would require compared to 2009
state actions to restrict carbon emissions from the indi-
vidual sectors. • Public transport will be CO2-neutral

• 20-30% of all light vehicles use new fuels

• 30-40% of all heavy vehicles use new fuels.

PILLAR MAIN ACTIONS INITIATIVES

Mobility Public transport 100% zero emission buses in 2025

The Mobility pillar in (including harbour buses)
Roadmap 2021–2025
Maritime traffic Shore power for cruise ships
includes four initiatives
distributed across three Maritime environmental zone in Copenhagen’s inner basin
main action areas, that
Construction machinery Conversion of non-road machinery in the city
reduces carbon emissions
by 58,000 tonnes.

Overview of main action areas and initiatives in the Mobility pillar

39
 FRAMEWORK CONDITIONS
The City of Copenhagen will work to ensure better as rules for mileage allowance, reimbursement of
framework conditions for the green transformation of travel costs, company cars and the leasing of cars.
the transport sector, in the following areas:
• Municipalities do not have the authority to im-
• The requirements in the environmental zone plement road pricing or similar measures, as this
should be tightened and include environmental would involve a new tax. Therefore, an amendment
requirements for passenger cars as well as make is needed to enable the City of Copenhagen to
the requirements for all types of vehicles in the implement road pricing.
law dynamic so they develop as emission require-
ments for vehicles are tightened. In addition, • Cities should have freer scope of action to imple-
the possibility of establishing zones or streets ment initiatives that reduce traffic jams and lower
with special requirements for vehicles should be carbon emissions, such as traffic calming, one-way
worked into the law. streets and similar.

• The taxation system must be geared more towards • The Planning Act lacks options to plan for shared
supporting the green conversion of vehicular cars and electric cars, including that these can be
traffic to both emission-free cars and eco-friendly part of the parking norm and that it is possible to
alternatives to cars This can be done by reorganis- stipulate that car parks are reserved for shared cars
ing registration fees, green motor vehicle taxes, fuel and electric cars and that charging stations
taxes, charges for liability insurance cover, as well are installed.

4.2. STATUS AND MAIN CHALLENGES parking for these cars. In addition, there are a number of
The City of Copenhagen makes a targeted effort to pro- other initiatives, such as ECO driving for lorries, experi-
mote green mobility by improving conditions for cyclists ments involving the interplay between shared cars and
and pedestrians, expanding the metro and creating an public transport and regional collaboration on influencing
interconnected green transport system for the purpose behaviour.
of switching from cars to green modes of transport. By
means of the 2020 Budget, the City Council has decided Since the City Council’s adoption of Roadmap 2017–
to conduct two mobility analyses aimed at identifying 2020, the cycling infrastructure has been expanded,
the possibilities of reducing carbon-emitting traffic and including the cycle-track network, Cycle Superhighways,
making it easier to choose green traffic solutions at the Green Cycling Routes and bicycle parking. The expanded
same time. The results of these analyses will be included in the period was more limited than planned, however,
in supplements to Roadmap 2021–2025. particularly due to the municipal capital expenditure
ceiling.
4.2.1. Status
Since the CPH 2025 Climate Plan was adopted in 2012, The conversion to carbon-neutral bus operation will be
emissions from road traffic have declined by almost 3% implemented as planned. In this context, the first electric
in real numbers and roughly 16% per capita. This reduc- buses were put into service in 2019. In the 2019 budget
tion is primarily due to declining emissions from lorries agreement for the City of Copenhagen, the City Council
and buses in service, whereas carbon emissions from decided that all diesel bus lines financed wholly or partly
passenger car traffic have risen 10% in the period, to by the City of Copenhagen, must be converted to electric
255,000 tonnes in 2018. Despite a huge effort in the area buses or other buses that meet the carbon-neutral emis-
of cycling and a rising number of cyclists, efforts to re- sion requirement and reduce local pollution by no later
duce emissions from passenger traffic from 2010 to 2018 than 2025. The agreement was entered into presupposes
were unsuccessful. Up to 2025, there is a need to sharply that the temporary scheme with an exclusion of electric
reduce carbon emissions from road traffic, particularly tax on electric buses in collective service which will expire
from passenger cars, in order for the City of Copenhagen on 31 December 2023, be extended. At the end of 2019,
to achieve its goal of carbon neutrality by 2025. 15% of buses in service had been converted to electricity.

In the first Roadmap period (2013-2016), major efforts Finally, there are efforts involving initiatives such as the
were made to develop Copenhagen as a cycling city, to establishment of a freight network and partnerships on
implement intelligent traffic control and traffic infor- heavy transport, experiments on Mobility as a Service
mation systems (ITS), better BRT (bus rapid transit), (MaaS), as well as experiments involving reorganisation
experiments with electric buses and supporting the use of local car parks for shared cars and urban spaces.
of hydrogen cars, including the implementation of free

40
4.2.2. Lessons learnt and main developmental Now) and 230 shared cars with a regular spot (traditional
trends up to 2025 shared cars such as LetsGo) in the City of Copenhagen.
There are different main trends in the Mobility area up to Shared cars and car pooling can reduce the number of
2025. Four important trends relating to actions required to passenger cars and car trips, particularly if owning one’s
reduce carbon emissions from road traffic are described in own car is made more expensive at the same time. There
the following. have been attempts involving Mobility as a Service(MaaS),
in which Min Rejseplan and other travel-planning apps
Rising population and car ownership have integrated shared cars without a regular spot in the
Since the adoption of the CPH 2025 Climate Plan, both the overall transport offers. Experience indicates, however,
population of Copenhagen and the number of car owners that MaaS must be interconnected with general improve-
in Copenhagen have risen. It has been possible, however, ments in green transport offerings provided to users by
to disconnect the growth in number of cars from the use of the platform to have a genuine impact on changing peo-
them. This is why car traffic has not risen correspondingly ple’s preferred modes of transport.
during the period and why cycling and public transport
have taken market shares from car traffic. Overall, Copen- 4.2.3. Main challenges in the Mobility area
hageners’ per capita emissions from road traffic declined The main challenge in the Mobility area is that the rising
16% from 2010 to 2018. There are still many trips by car, number of cars and high number of kilometers driven by
however, not least across the city limits, as well as recre- car in Copenhagen result in high carbon emissions. There
ational trips. These trips are responsible for the biggest are many factors affecting the City of Copenhagen’s scope
share of road traffic’s transport-related emissions. for reducing emissions from road traffic, including:

The public transport network is expanded • population growth prompts more trips, intensifying
The ongoing expansion of the Copenhagen metro grid is the pressure on the city’s infrastructure.
under way. In the spring of 2020, the M4 (section to Nord-
havn) opened and M5 (linking Sydhavn to the metro net- • lowered motor-vehicle taxes mean less expensive cars
work) will open in 2024. To achieve the city’s target whereby and thus more cars in Copenhagen.
at least 25% of all trips in, to and from the City of Copenha-
gen must be made using climate-friendly public transport • much of the carbon-emitting road traffic crosses the
by 2025, massive, intensified focus needs to be brought to city boundary (both incoming and outgoing). Of
bear on making it easier for Copenhageners and visitors to this traffic, a large percentage is for recreational trips,
use public transport, including the City Ring, to move about which are often more difficult to affect than trips to and
in Copenhagen. from work and place of study.

More are cycling more frequently and cycling longer • one result of the municipal capital expenditure ceiling
The past ten years of investments in better cycling con- (temporarily suspended in 2020 and 2021, however) is
ditions have prompted a rise in cycling trips from 26% to that the cycling track network has not been sufficiently
28%. The cycling percentage has particularly risen for trips expanded to ensure additional switching from cars to
to and from work and place of study in Copenhagen, i.e. bicycles.
from 34% to 44% (2019). Looking at kilometres driven over
the past ten years, car traffic has declined slightly, whereas • due to current rules in the area, roughly DKK 330 million
cycling traffic has risen sharply, not least for trips in and out from the city’s parking income is offset in its block grant.
of the inner city. In addition, the use of electric cycles has Instead, these funds could have been used to promote
become more widespread, enabling longer cycling trips green mobility in the city, for instance.
and the extension of the regional Cycle Superhighways
makes it more attractive to cycle across city boundaries. In • the necessary functions to support green mobility,
this context the average length of a cycling trip is 11 kilom- such as charging-station infrastructure, bus lanes,
eters. cycling tracks, attractive hubs and bicycle parking,
require space in urban settings, which are generally
Conversion of passenger cars pressured in Copenhagen, particularly in the inner city
The government target for converting passenger cars to and “bridge” neighbourhoods (Nørrebro, Østerbro
green fuels means that additional incentives are expected and Vesterbro).
to promote a sharp rise in the percentage of electric cars in
the years ahead. Taxi customers demand electric taxis and The lessons learnt from the period 2010–2018 showed that
more than 100 of Copenhagen’s taxis were zero-emission it is difficult to achieve the desired carbon emission reduc-
at the end of 2019. Up to 2025, it is expected that much of tions from road traffic solely by improving conditions for
Copenhagen’s fleet of taxis will be replaced with electric green modes of transport and converting to green fuels.
vehicles. There are roughly 1,000 shared cars without a
regular spot (city cars such as GreenMobility and Share-

41
4.3. ACTIONS IN 2021-2025 on an ongoing basis, which is why the city specifically ex-
Based on the existing initiatives in the CPH 2025 Climate pects to prepare a master plan for the roll-out of a charg-
Plan’s Roadmap 2017–2020, significant carbon emissions ing infrastructure for electric cars.
will still remain in 2025. In order for the City of Copenha-
gen to achieve its goal of carbon neutrality by 2025, emis- The actions to reduce carbon emissions from road traffic
sions from the transport sector need to be reduced. Thus, cannot be described until the mobility analyses are com-
it is necessary to change the focus of the actions from pleted in early 2021. Therefore specific road-traffic actions
primarily on improving conditions for green alternatives are not included in Roadmap 2021–2025. These will be
to ambitiously reducing the number of kilometres driven presented in a supplement to the Roadmap in 2021.
by petrol and diesel powered cars in Copenhagen as well.
This can be done by making it less attractive to drive petrol 4.3.2. Actions for other modes of transport
and diesel cars and thus transfer trips to greener alterna- The rest of the transport spectrum comprises bus traffic,
tives and by supporting the choice of vehicles with alterna- maritime traffic, aviation, railway transport and off-road
tive fuels, such as electric cars, up to 2025. In this context, mobile machinery with carbon emissions of 155,000
it is also relevant to use urban planning tools to reduce the tonnes in 2018, which must be reduced as much as pos-
need to drive a car in urban development areas. sible.

4.3.1. Road-traffic actions There is an ongoing effort to convert all diesel bus lines
Funding for mobility analyses are earmarked in the 2020 financed wholly or partly by the City of Copenhagen
Budget. These analyses are intended to specifically define to electric buses or to other buses that meet the car-
how a more rigorous mobility effort could achieve the bon-neutral emission requirement and reduced local
needed reductions in carbon emissions from road traffic pollution by no later than 2025. 60% are expected to be
in terms of passenger cars, buses, delivery vans and heavy converted in the existing phasing-in plan by 2023.
traffic. The climate impact must be achieved by means
of passenger-car restrictions and by promoting green The City of Copenhagen works to establish shore power
modes of transport to reduce the kilometres driven by for cruise ships in Nordhavn and possibly at Langelinie.
petrol and diesel-fuelled vehicles. The analyses are in line This ensures that cruise ships do not use diesel gener-
with existing initiatives, the conversion to carbon-neutral ators when moored quayside. In Copenhagen, cruise
bus service and the establishment of the M3 City Ring. ships are primarily moored in Nordhavn and at Lange-
linie. The planning of shore power on the Nordhavn
Reducing the number of cars and having greener cars waterfront and an assessment of installing shore power
can be done by making it attractive to use green shared at Langelinie are expected to be reported on during
cars rather than owning a car and by working on green 2020. The establishment of shore power requires close
goods delivery. It is also a prerequisite for conversion to collaboration with Copenhagen Malmö Port. In addi-
electric cars that the charging infrastructure is expanded tion, Movia is converting its harbour buses (delivered by
Arriva) to electricity in 2020. A conversion to green fuels
for other enterprises operating in the port, such as canal
FLAGSHIP PROJECTS 2021-2025
tour boats, etc., will require stipulating environmental re-
quirements within the port by implementing a maritime
Conversion of busses
environmental zone.
It has been decided that all bus lines, that are partially
or wholly financed by the City of Copenhagen must
In relation to construction machinery, the City of Co-
be emission free by 2025. In January, 2019, bus lines
penhagen is taking the initiative to buy and transition
2A and 18 were converted to electricity (approx-
to fossil-free fuels and eventually to zero-emission con-
imately 15 % of the bus operations) and the other
struction machinery. The municipality purchases alter-
bus lines will be converted by 2025. In 2023 Movia
native green fuels for its own road and non-road mobile
is expecting that 60 % of the bus operations, partially
machinery in 2020–2023, and in the period 2020–2022,
or wholly funded by the City of Copenhagen, will be
up to ten pilot projects will be carried out that require the
emission free.
use of bio fuels and/or zero-emission construction ma-
chinery in the call for tenders of construction contracts.
Cycle superhighways
Efforts are being made to issue a general tendering
With a vision of creating more than 750 km regional
requirement for this before 2025. As this is also a new
high quality routes, for the cycle pedestrians, Copen-
area at international level, the city is collaborating on the
hagen has, in collaboration with the Capital Region
task with a number of European cities under the auspices
and 27 other municipalities, established 8 cycle
of C40 to influence the market to transition to zero-emis-
superhighways. The cycle superhighways effect is
sion construction machinery.
indicated by a 23 % rise in cyclist on the routes, of
which 14 % are transitioning from car travel.

42
4.4. PERSPECTIVES
PROJECTS AND PARTNERSHIPS
Both the state and the city have set ambitious carbon-
reduction targets, which requires comprehensive con-
Copenhagen Electric
version of the transport sector. This presupposes that
The Capital Region’s regional electric car secretariat,
both the state and municipal framework conditions in the
which works to implement a vision of making the
area are optimised with a view to promoting the requisite
Capital Region into a leading electric car region in
conversion, to reduce the number of cars and to convert
Europe. The City of Copenhagen is represented
the rest of the motorised traffic to green fuels. The gov-
on the advisory board, which is facilitated by
ernment’s Climate Action Plan is expected to support
Copenhagen Electric.
municipal initiatives to promote the conversion of the
transport sector. Copenhagen’s Municipal Plan 2019 also
Cycle parking near traffic hubs
contains multiple options for promoting green mobility,
In collaboration with public transport companies,
such as developing car-free urban areas relating to urban
the City of Copenhagen is focused on improving the
development.
conditions for cycle parking at stations and other
traffic hubs. The purpose is to increase the level of
With expectations of Copenhagen’s continued popu-
satisfaction with cycle parking in Copenhagen, enlarge
lation growth, it is essential to fully exploit these pos-
capacity and support intermodal trips involving
sibilities to restrict car traffic and ensure the requisite
bicycle, bus, train and metro.
conversion to fossil-free fuels. For this reason, the green
conversion of the transport sector should also support
Movia and municipalities
better capacity utilisation of the road grid particularly
The achievement of the City of Copenhagen’s goal to
focused on promoting green space-saving modes such
convert all diesel buses into electric buses by no later
as public transport, cycling and walking. This applies in
than 2025 requires close collaboration with the other
relation to both existing districts and the planning of new
municipalities which co-finance roughly 90% of bus
districts, which, wherever possible, must be car-free, but
service in the City of Copenhagen. For the conversion
also by tightening the environmental zone to include
to electric bus service, the City of Copenhagen col-
passenger cars and by enabling the introduction of
laborates with all the relevant municipalities through
outright zero-emission zones in existing and new ur-
the public transport company Movia.
ban areas and districts. It must also be ensured that the
planning of traffic electrification is coordinated with the
energy system.

Repair station on a Cycle Superhighway Photo: City of Copenhagen

Panorama of Copenhagen from Town Hall Square. Photo: Jens Panduro
This page has been intentionally left blank.
Grøndalsvængets School, winner of the City of Copenhagen Building Award 2020. Photo: Torben Eskerod
5. City Administration Initiatives

5.1. INTRODUCTION
The share of carbon reductions in Roadmap 2021–
The City of Copenhagen’s own initiatives must also set an
2025 in the City Administration Initiatives pillar:
example for transitioning to carbon neutrality. By leading
the way to reduce the city’s energy consumption, green
4%
procurement and conversion of the city’s vehicles to al-
ternative fuels, the City of Copenhagen paves the way for
the green transformation. This is important for the inter-
play involving a wide variety of public and private-sector
operators who have to help make Copenhagen carbon
neutral, such as by investing in buildings and modes of
transport.

5.2. STATUS AND MAIN CHALLENGES

In the preceding two roadmap periods (2013–2016 and
2017–2020), the City of Copenhagen carried out a num- City Administration Initiatives
ber of activities to use the city’s administration initiatives
as leverage in the green transformation process.

5.2.1. The City of Copenhagen’s energy consumption

Based on existing grants, we expected to have achieved
roughly half of the Climate Plan’s target to reduce energy
consumption by 40% by 2025, compared to 2010.

PILLAR MAIN ACTIONS INITIATIVES

The city’s energy Energy retrofitting (energy efficiency projects)

consumption
Oversigt over hovedindsatser og initiativer i sporet ”Københavns Kommune som virksomhed”.

Energy-efficient operation
(streamlining and day-today operations)

Flexible energy consumption

The City of Copenhagen’s new construction

Street lighting

City Administration The city’s transport Efficient transport and electric and hydrogen powered
Initiatives vehicles
The City Administra-
Requirements for non-road mobile machinery in
tion Initiatives pillar in
construction projects
Roadmap 2021–2025
includes seventeen initi- Tightened requirements for supplier transport
atives distributed across
The city’s companies Charting of initiatives in the City of Copenhagen’s
six main action areas, with
companies
a reduction of carbon
emissions of 8,000 The city’s procurement Ecolabelled products and services
tonnes.
Electricity-saving products

Systematic follow-up

The city’s woodlands 100,000 trees in Copenhagen

Semi-urban tree planting

Training and information Climate Ambassador Training Programme

Climate Action Showroom

Oversigt over hovedindsatser og initiativer i sporet Københavns Kommune som virksomhed.
Climate Training Programme

Overview of main action areas and initiatives in the City Administration Initiatives pillar 47
Energy savings are achieved by focusing on energy-ef-
TARGETS FOR THE CITY ADMINISTRATION BY
ficient operation of district heating and power units.
2025*
Specifically, the City of Copenhagen has worked to set
up remote monitoring of energy consumption in the
• Energy consumption in the city’s buildings is
city’s buildings to establish a basis on which to optimise
reduced by 40%
the facilities and advise the city’s local operating staff. In
addition a number of energy retrofitting projects have
• Up to 2015, the city’s new builds were con-
been carried out, such as the replacement of luminaires
structed according to low-energy class 2015 and
and modernisation of automated control systems which
up to 2020 according to building class 2020.
makes it possible to optimise energy consumption in the
city’s buildings.
• All of the City of Copenhagen’s vehicles are pow-
ered by electricity, hydrogen or biofuels.
The efforts targeting automated controls and energy
monitoring have attracted international attention. The
• Energy consumption for street lighting is re-
City of Copenhagen is in the process of planning pilot
duced by 50%
experiments involving energy monitoring and controls
in Beijing in collaboration with C40 and in Buenos Aires.
• A total of 60,000 m2 of PV modules have been
The vision is to disseminate Copenhagen solutions and
installed on the city’s new and existing buildings.
show that the potential savings achieved in the city’s
properties have international format. Also, there is a
*All targets are relative to 2010.
Danish perspective in terms of developing collaboration
involving multiple municipalities concerning joint prop-
erty management. fuels instead, such as GTL and HVO, which substantially
reduce emissions of NOx, particulates and CO2. The
In this respect, holistic retrofitting projects of Copenha- municipality systematically replaces old diesel-powered
gen schools have been implemented whereby a num- vehicles and retrofits filters to meet the requirements
ber of schools have undergone energy retrofitting that for stricter environmental zones which impose stricter
has reduced the energy consumed in the buildings. All air-emission requirements (such as NOx and particu-
these initiatives help save energy. For several initiatives lates). Also, the city is continuously optimising the utili-
however, the implementation has been temporarily sation of vehicles based on GPS data and by sharing the
suspended and postponed due to the capital expendi- equipment and creating an efficient fleet of vehicles.
ture ceiling, which is also why the expected effect was not
achieved. At the same time, this effort was challenged by 5.2.3. The City of Copenhagen’s procurement
population growth, which requires the city to enlarge its The City of Copenhagen’s procurement policy plays a
portfolio of properties. central role in pushing for the development of energy-ef-
ficient technology. Today, a number of environmental
In addition to the energy consumed in the city’s build- and climate requirements are set in the administrations’
ings, the city uses electricity for street lighting. As part tenders, and in several areas, this has resulted in reduc-
of Roadmap 2013–2016, a widespread replacement of tions in energy consumption, increased waste sorting
luminaires was carried out, resulting in electricity savings and reduced noise and air pollution. Among other initia-
of 55.5% compared to baseline year 2010. tives, funds have been set aside in 2020 and 2021 for pilot
projects to set requirements for construction machinery
At the end of 2019, 11,200 m2 of PV modules had been in a number of building and construction projects. These
set up on the City of Copenhagen’s properties, equating projects must provide a basis for experience in order to
to slightly less than 20% of the target of 60,000 m2 by be able to make a general requirement for fossil-free or
2025. The establishment of PV modules on city buildings emission-free construction machines in the future, and
is challenged by existing legislation in the area. preferably by 2025.

5.2.2. The City of Copenhagen’s vehicles 5.2.4. Training and information

For a number of years, the City of Copenhagen has been In the autumn of 2020, Energy & Water will open ‘The
working to purchase vehicles and equipment that are Sustainable City’ showroom, which aims to demonstrate
powered by alternative fuels (electricity, hydrogen and how HOFOR and the City of Copenhagen work on sus-
biogas). This means that almost 90% of the city’s pas- tainable urban development. Energy & Water’s activities
senger cars are currently electric or hydrogen vehicles. have previously focused on providing information to
It is challenging for the market to deliver the city’s heavy children and young people, but the showroom target
vehicles (such as lorries and construction machinery) group is being widened to include professionals. This
with alternative fuels (such as electricity, hydrogen and means that the showrooms is designed for urban plan-
biogas). This is why the city currently uses alternative ners, politicians, experts and students from Denmark

48
and abroad who want to learn about the efforts to build a cient management of the city’s existing properties, there
sustainable Greater Copenhagen. is thus a need to focus on energy consumption in the
city’s new build projects. Lessons learnt from new builds
The Climate Ambassador Training Programme is offered show that it is often difficult for new buildings to live up
to Copenhagen’s 7th grade students. The programme is to the energy consumption ratings they are designed for.
organised as a citizen involvement process which is tai- To counteract this, the city will ensure that newly con-
lored so that the students achieve qualifications and tech- structed buildings can be operated as energy-efficiently
nical skill-sets in line with the learning targets of the lower as possible. This will require building up the requisite
secondary school system. At the same time, students expertise, collecting data on the city’s new builds and sys-
are prepared to provide skilled advice from a teenager’s tematically following up on whether the buildings meet
perspective. Since 2009, five hundred 7th grade students the requirements stipulated by the city in the tenders.
have taken part in the programme, which is jointly run by
the Children and Youth Administration and the Technical In the period up to 2016, much of Copenhagen’s street
and Environmental Administration. lighting was replaced by more energy-efficient solutions.
However, there is still a potential for reduction. This is why
5.3 ACTIONS 2021–2025 Roadmap 2021–2025 includes an initiative to replace the
The actions in Roadmap 2021–2025 are organised on the remaining luminaires with new energy-efficient lumi-
basis of the various sub-elements of City Administration naires.
activities. The actions targeting the city’s energy con-
sumption, transport, procurement, forestry, teaching and 5.3.2. The City of Copenhagen’s vehicles
information services are described in the following. The city will acquire vehicles and equipment that run
on alternative fuels, such as electricity, hydrogen and
5.3.1 The City of Copenhagen’s energy consumption biogas, up to 2025. Wherever this is not possible, the
To achieve the Climate Plan’s target to reduce energy city will use bio-diesel (e.g. HVO) which substantially
consumed in the City of Copenhagen’s properties by reduces emissions of NOx, particulate and CO2. This
40%, the ongoing actions involving energy-efficient approach will enable the City of Copenhagen to achieve
management and energy retrofitting are to be contin- its goal of having all vehicles running on alternative fuels
ued and strengthened. This means that efforts are being by 2025. In addition, the city will cooperate with external
made to expand operating support, that reducing energy actors concerning the testing of alternative fuel technol-
consumption becomes a shared target for employees ogies, including methanol. Old diesel-powered vehicles
and users in the city administration and that more energy will continuously be replaced or retrofitted with particu-
retrofitting projects focused on LED lighting and heating late filters to meet the tightened environmental zones.
systems can be launched. In addition, there is a need to
finance energy retrofitting projects with longer repay- 5.3.3. City of Copenhagen’s companies
ment periods, just like the large-scale refurbishment of In 2020, the city is looking at the nine big companies of
heating plants and ventilation systems, for instance. which the city is co-owner to map out their potential for
additional initiatives and actions capable of supporting
Copenhagen is growing, which means that the city the goal of carbon neutrality by 2025. This mapping of
must construct a number of new buildings for schools, possible initiatives will be included in the supplement to
preschools, etc., in the period up to 2025. In addition to Roadmap 2021–2025, to be presented in 2021.
actions focused on energy retrofitting and energy-effi-

FRAMEWORK CONDITIONS • The Photovoltaic Modules Act must be amended

so it is simple to install PV modules on municipal
The City of Copenhagen will work to improve the terms properties
for converting the City Administration:
• Create better framework conditions for the
• Requirements should be stipulated for the energy dissemination of emission-free construction
retrofitting of buildings owned by the munici- machinery by adapting charges and requirements
palities and regions. At the same time, it should in environmental zones and public tendering
be investigated whether it is possible to exempt processes.
investments in energy efficiency and better indoor
climates from the capital expenditure ceiling, pro- • The state’s framework conditions must underpin
vided that these investments pay for themselves municipalities’ aims to promote green procure-
within a given period ment and the procurement of energy-efficient
products.

49
5.3.4. The City of Copenhagen’s procurement 5.3.5. The City of Copenhagen’s woodlands
The City of Copenhagen purchases goods and services Roadmap 2021–2025 includes an enlarged and more
for DKK 8.2 billion p.a. It is possible, via these purchases, systematic afforestation effort. Afforestation can contrib-
for the city to nudge the market in a more sustainable, ute to the city’s Climate Plan, as trees absorb CO2 during
climate-friendly direction. 21,500 ecolabelled products the growth season which enables them to store carbon.
and services exist, and the City of Copenhagen contin-
ues to work to stipulate even more requirements for the The City of Copenhagen will supplement its ongoing ef-
ecolabelling of its purchases. forts to plant 100,000 trees in Copenhagen with the pur-
chase of farmland outside the city to plant new, semi-ur-
In the period up to 2025, the City of Copenhagen will ban woodland. This must be done in collaboration with
stipulate additional requirements for energy efficiency neighbouring municipalities. The aim is for the City of
and ecolabelling in its purchases and require the use Copenhagen’s woodlands in and outside Copenhagen
of green fuels in transport services. Finally, Roadmap to absorb 3,000 tonnes of CO2 in 2025, while increasing
2021–2025 contains a new initiative to strengthen the biodiversity and creating a number of recreational wood-
administration’s possibility of systematically following up lands near Copenhagen at the same time.
on whether suppliers comply with the procurement re-
quirements to ensure that the desired effect is achieved. In addition to the city’s afforestation, HOFOR will join
forces with the Danish Nature Agency to plant trees in
The City of Copenhagen is a member of several collabo- water catchment areas in Zealand, particularly focused
ration forums and a number of international projects for on the safeguarding of drinking-water wells. These ef-
the procurement of construction machinery that is either forts will continue in the period up to 2025 and will also
emission-free and/or capable of running on green fuels contribute to establishing carbon sinks.
and the city collaborates with Nordic colleagues on stip-
ulating green requirements for goods conveyance. The
collaboration on construction machinery is focused on
assessing when technology, reliability and financial as-
pects permit that general requirements be stipulated in
tender documents of one’s own and subsidised construc-
tion projects for fossil-free and emission-free construction
machinery. The collaboration on green goods conveyance
focuses on working with the market and across the Nordic
countries to find ambitious, realistic requirements for
delivery in large delivery vans and lorries.

PROJECTS AND PARTNERSHIPS

Flexible Electricity Consumption

The City of Copenhagen is currently working to make
it possible to remote-control electricity consumption
in the city’s buildings on a large scale, making it possi-
ble to upscale or downscale electricity consumption
for brief periods when electricity is generated from
fossil fuels or when electricity needs to be bought
from the power grid. In so doing, the City of Copen-
hagen can contribute to the green conversion of
the electricity market by regulating electricity con-
sumption upwards or downwards. By establishing
a flexibility platform, the city envisions that remote-
ly-controlled electricity consuming systems such
as ventilation can bid for on the existing market for
system services. The project expands on an innova-
tion project carried out in collaboration with market
actors in 2019 and 2020. The City of Copenhagen
expects to finish developing the project in 2020 and
implement it in 2021.

50
5.3.6. Training and information 5.4. PERSPECTIVES
The City of Copenhagen must instil far better under- By leading the way and demonstrating new sustainable
standing and acceptance of and involvement in the city’s solutions, the City of Copenhagen can turn its activities
green transformation among city residents, and future and large parts of the city into a living laboratory for
generations. Children and young people must be trained sustainable climate solutions. It is crucial for the long-
in climate issues through an interconnected, three-tiered term transformation that this effort be continued. In so
effort: doing, Copenhagen can make it possible for companies
to test green solutions and, through its demand for
• the Climate Training Programme in Copenhagen products and services, it can influence market trends. At
must ensure that all Copenhagen children and the same time, Copenhageners and companies will be
young people can receive climate training that pro- able to learn about new climate-friendly technologies in
vides a high level of technical climate knowledge, the city’s operations and through the Climate Ambas-
skill-sets for the labour market of the future and sador Training Programme, future generations can be
contributes to democratic formation and resource- equipped to take responsibility for the long-term trans-
fulness. formation.

• the Climate Ambassador Training Programme must Eventually, the actions concerning the City Administra-
continue to instil students with resourcefulness and tion Initiatives will continue to serve as first movers in
motivation to be active co-creators and communica- dialogue with the market and authorities, which requires
tors of a sustainable future. the city to influence some of the developmental trends
and meet the long-term needs outlined in the chapters
• the aim of the Climate Action Showroom in on energy consumption, energy production and mo-
Copenhagen is to inspire politicians, experts, plan- bility. This involves, among other things, flexible energy
ners, educators, citizen groups and students in a consumption and working to incorporate considerations
stimulating, professional setting. for embedded carbon emissions in the city’s consump-
tion of building materials.
The action requires broad collaboration with climate
stakeholders in Copenhagen, including youth study pro-
grammes, educational institutions, the business commu-
nity and many other parties.

FLAGSHIP PROJECTS 2021-2025 own machinery and machinery used in the city’s con-
struction projects, but also on how these experiences
Greener transport of purchased goods can be upscaled and disseminated to all construction
From 2020, the City of Copenhagen will stipulate projects in cooperation with the entire industry.
stricter demands for emission-free delivery or the use
of alternative fuels such as electricity, hydrogen and Energy-efficient operation of the city’s properties
biogas in the city’s tendering processes for contracts In 2017, the City of Copenhagen received an interna-
involving goods and services. The requirements will be tional award from the C40 Cities Climate Leadership
initially stipulated in the following public procedures Group for its comprehensive efforts involving energy
with contractual start-up in 2020: window washing, monitoring and energy management. The City of Co-
locksmith services and electrician services. penhagen is the first capital in the world to have a cen-
tralised, digital energy-monitoring system to monitor
Construction machinery the energy consumption in most of the city’s buildings
Non-road mobile machinery, including construction on an hourly basis. The systems have made it possible
machinery in particular, was responsible for 75,000 to take a strategic approach to energy optimisation and
tonnes of carbon emissions in Copenhagen in 2018. planning and the centralised management of the facil-
The machinery owned by the city (or for which it is ities, which also supports energy-efficient operation.
possible for the city to stipulate requirements in its own These efforts have resulted in the City of Copenhagen
tendering processes) constitutes only a small portion developing the prototype for a platform for flexible
of this, but the conversion of this fleet makes it possible utilisation of energy consumption. This platform will be
to influence market trends in a green direction. There- ready for further development during 2020.
fore, there is particular focus on converting the city’s

51
Waste collection at Nørreport. Photo: Troels Heien
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 WHEN WILL THE CITY OF COPENHAGEN
BE CARBON NEUTRAL?
The City of Copenhagen will be carbon neutral when
the city’s residual carbon emissions are offset by
activities that reduce emissions, such as through
establishing carbon sinks (e.g. forests) or renewable
energy production. For example, Copenhagen’s
electricity consumption is carbon neutral when the
amount of electricity generated by renewable energy
sources equals the electricity consumed by the city. If
more electricity is produced from renewable energy
sources than Copenhageners use, this compensates
for carbon emissions from other sources of emis-
sions such as car traffic.

Søtorvet and Frederiksborggade seen from Dronning Louises Bridge. Photo: Ursula Bach
6. Implementing Roadmap 2021–2025

6.1. INTRODUCTION planning in Copenhagen. The city works in these

This chapter describes how the City of Copenhagen will areas through Municipal Plan 2019 and ‘Circular
implement the actions and initiatives in Roadmap 2021– Copenhagen – Resource and Waste Management
2025. In addition, the chapter describes the city’s analysis Plan 2024’ to reduce carbon emissions within the
and follow-up efforts, as well as the investments relating framework, permitted by the official tasks.
to the task.
• The city as a supplier: The City of Copenhagen owns
6.2. IMPLEMENTATION or funds a wide range of collective systems and, as
To achieve the carbon neutral goal, it is crucial to imple- co-owner of utility companies, influences the com-
ment the Climate Plan’s initiatives on a large scale. The panies to work towards carbon neutral supply. This
City of Copenhagen can utilise a number of mechanisms is done in utilities such as district heating, town gas,
to support the plan’s implementation. The mechanisms water and waste-water, as well as bus transport.
are distributed under the following four headings:
• The city as a facilitator: We will only achieve our goals
• City Administration Initiatives: Through its admin- through cooperation. This is why the city also works
istrative entities, the city can stipulate requirements as a facilitator in the transformation, joining forces
for greenhouse gas emissions and conversion to with residents, companies and authorities to realise
sustainable solutions in tasks concerning everything the transformation. We do this in partnerships, such
from product delivery to construction. In addition, as the Energy Leap and Bæredygtig Bundlinje (Sus-
the city can refurbish its own buildings to use less tainable Bottom Line) projects and in efforts target-
energy and convert its own vehicles. ing the Climate Training Programme.

• The city as an authority: The City of Copenhagen The City of Copenhagen does much of the green trans-
is a planning authority in a number of crucial ar- formation in collaboration with neighbouring municipal-
eas for green transformation, including heat sup- ities, the Capital Region, state authorities, utility compa-
ply, waste-management planning and physical nies, private companies and Copenhageners. This is also

COLLABORATION PROJECTS AND NETWORKS EnergyLab Nordhavn: A partnership of 11 operators to

The City of Copenhagen is part of a wide variety of net- test and demonstrate solutions and products that inte-
works and collaboration projects both in Denmark and grate energy production and consumption into buildings
abroad to develop and disseminate climate solutions, and the transport sector in Nordhavn. Although the
including: project ended in 2019, the EnergyLab Nordhavn Associ-
ation was formed to follow up on the project results.
C40: A global network of cities working to reduce green-
house gas emissions. C40 is a group of the 96 of the Energy and Carbon Calculator: An online tool that
world’s biggest cities and leading cities in climate action. specifies and shows emissions of greenhouse gases for
In total, the cities represent 1/12th of the world popula- all municipalities in Denmark on the basis of uniform
tion and 25% of the world economy. methods. The tool specifies emissions by using key,
dynamic data sources so municipalities do not need to
Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance: An association of the collect data to visualise their greenhouse gas emissions.
22 most ambitious cities in the world in terms of climate The tool is still being developed in collaboration between
action. All members have a goal of achieving at least the Danish Energy Agency, Realdania, Local Government
80–100% carbon neutrality before 2050 (for Copenha- Denmark, Gate 21 and a number of municipalities and
gen it is 2025). regions across Denmark.

Big Buyers Initiative: A platform for promoting collab- Big City Partnerships: Copenhagen has entered into
oration between a number of European cities, including twinning agreements with Beijing, New York, Washington,
Oslo, Amsterdam and Helsinki, to stipulate requirements Boston and Buenos Aires aimed at increasing coopera-
for zero-emission construction sites in the tendering tion which, among other things, can support Danish ex-
process for construction contracts. The aim is to pro- ports to China and attract more investments to Copenha-
mote market development of emission-free construc- gen. As part of the agreement with Beijing, the two cities
tion machinery through joint public tendering and have cooperated closely on energy-efficient operation
procurement procedures. of municipal buildings, whereby Beijing will implement
some of the solutions developed in Copenhagen.

55
why the city focuses on joining partnerships to develop As Copenhagen is a frontrunner in terms of climate
and implement new solutions. The City of Copenhagen action and as the knowledge base of these efforts does
takes part in a number of collaboration projects that con- not already exist in many instances, many of the Climate
tribute to the transformation locally in Copenhagen and Plan’s initiatives require thorough preceding analyses.
which disseminate good solutions to other cities. Up to 2025, an effort must be made to shorten the time
from analysis to action to achieve the goal of carbon
6.3. FOLLOW-UP AND ANALYSIS neutrality.
The City of Copenhagen conducts ongoing analyses to
follow up on the targets and objectives in the CPH 2025 6.4. INVESTMENT AND FINANCIAL ASPECTS
Climate Plan and to examine the potential for reductions In the period up to 2025, a number of investments are
in new areas. required to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality. A num-
ber of investments will be made by the city, but the city’s
Carbon accounts are prepared for Copenhagen each utility companies in particular will be making the biggest
year to give an account of the city’s carbon emissions. investments in public utilities of the future.
The accounts are prepared on the basis of Local Govern-
ment Denmark’s carbon emission calculator from 2008, Several of the utility companies’ investments, such as in
which builds on methods used at national level to report energy systems, may in some instances be made before
emissions to the United Nations. The point of departure the systems they are replacing are worn out, provided
is that all greenhouse gas emissions within the city limits that a replacement has a positive socio-economic effect.
and emissions relating to the consumption of electric- This can be necessary to accelerate the conversion in the
ity and district heating are included in the accounts. In energy sector, which is characterised by facilities with
the assessment of carbon neutrality, energy production long service lives.
based on renewable energy in the City of Copenhagen
and renewable energy produced by city-owned compa- The financing of municipal initiatives in Roadmap 2021–
nies outside the city limits are itemised as deductions. 2025 for the CPH 2025 Climate Plan is done through the
city’s annual budgetary process and is managed by the
Concurrent with the City of Copenhagen’s launch of responsible administrations and entities of the City of
new initiatives to reduce carbon emissions, a need will Copenhagen.
emerge to develop methods for specifying the emissions
in Copenhagen to identify the source of the carbon emis- The municipal investments will in some instances con-
sion more accurately. This is why efforts are continuously tribute to the development and testing of new solutions
focused on further developing the carbon accounts and, that can subsequently be upscaled and used on export
as part of the development of supplements for Roadmap markets, thus contributing to research, development and
2021–2025, methods relating to carbon capture, Pow- green growth. Also, in the final implementation period,
er-to-X, etc., will be examined. the City of Copenhagen will seek out, develop and take
part in public and private partnerships to achieve the
Furthermore, annual cycling accounts, specifications of Climate Plan’s goal to reduce carbon emissions and gen-
energy consumption and energy production and a series erate green growth.
of other accounts will be prepared to enable follow-up on
the CPH 2025 Climate Plan’s targets and objectives. Many of the investments have and will have positive de-
rivative effects on Copenhageners’ health and quality of
In addition to the ongoing follow up of the Climate Plan’s life. For instance, the cycling actions will not only reduce
targets and objectives, a number of analyses, tests and carbon emissions but will increase accessibility, reduce
demonstration projects will be carried out to identify new air pollution and substantially benefit the health and per-
possibilities of reducing carbon emissions. For instance, sonal financial situation of Copenhageners who switch
an analysis of greenhouse gas emissions from shipping from driving to biking. Similarly, energy retrofitting can
and oil furnaces in Copenhagen has been carried out. In improve indoor climates, afforestation contributes to bio-
the period 2021–2025, the city expects to carry out tests diversity goals, and the conversion of individually heated
and analyses of heat pumps, carbon capture, flexible en- dwellings to district heating can reduce air pollution in
ergy consumption, etc. In addition, the city and the large the city.
companies co-owned by the city jointly map the possibil-
ities for additional initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions from the companies’ activities.

56
6.4.1. Financing It is the assessment of the City of Copenhagen that cer-
The transformation in Copenhagen is based on financing tification of building projects, energy-efficient building
from a number of different sources. The transformation projects and better facilities for sharing public data can
is financed by, among other things, the annual munici- be relevant for the 2025 Climate Plan.
pal budget negotiations, the utility companies and state
budgets. In addition, some projects are funded by grants A number of the Climate Plan’s objectives in 2025, e.g.
from the EU and private foundations, and finally, some of retrofitting of building, require substantial investments,
the transformation is financed directly by private individ- which can give cause to initiate a dialogue between the
uals and companies. city and the financial sector concerning options for and
obstacles to supporting the actions in the CPH 2025 Cli-
The government’s climate partnership for the financial mate Plan, e.g. focusing on the financing needs and PPP
sector has provided a number of recommendations and solutions that could help implement critical initiatives in
proposed actions that can support the national target of the Climate Plan’s goal of carbon neutrality and energy
reducing carbon emissions by 70% up to 2030. Several efficiency by 2025.
of these are relevant across actions and tasks otherwise
related to the CPH 2025 Climate Plan. The recommen-
dations are cross-cutting in nature and will generally be
able to strengthen the City of Copenhagen’s own efforts.

The Climate Partnership’s conclusion is that funding

healthy projects is not challenging. It is challenging,
however, to create framework conditions in Denmark and
abroad that make the requisite investments profitable.

In terms of implementing climate projects in Copenha-

gen, the Partnership’s following recommendations are
relevant:

• A requirement for certified, energy-efficiency con-

struction.

• Higher ESCO financing in which energy retrofitting

costs are financed through the financial savings gen-
erated by the retrofitting.

• Keener focus on the overall economy in public finan-

cial controls.

• Electrification of public transport via public–private

partnerships (PPP).

• Better access to sharing public data.

57
Wind turbines at Prøvestenen, Amager. Photo: Ursula Bach
7. Process ahead and perspectives for climate action

This concluding chapter describes the process ahead for Climate Plan. The government’s forthcoming Climate Ac-
the Roadmap 2021–2025 and climate action perspectives tion Plan is expected to include a series of actions aimed
for the City of Copenhagen up to 2025. at reducing emissions at national level which could affect
the City of Copenhagen’s possibilities of reducing emis-
Without further action, carbon emissions in Copenhagen sions at local level. In addition, COVID-19 closed down
are expected to be 630,000 tonnes (baseline projection) our society in the spring of 2020, and the impact of this
in 2025. Roadmap 2021–2025 contains 47 initiatives dis- on greenhouse gas emissions and how the city is used
tributed over 17 main action areas which are expected to are still unclear. There is some uncertainty as to how reo-
reduce carbon emissions by 200,000 tonnes up to 2025. pening society will affect both the government’s Climate
This means that without additional initiatives, there will Action Plan and the municipalities’ scope for reducing
be residual carbon emissions of 430,000 tonnes in 2025. carbon emissions.

7.1 THE PROCESS AHEAD FOR ROADMAP 2021–2025 In addition to the above-mentioned possible actions and
To ensure that Copenhagen becomes carbon neutral by initiatives, the City of Copenhagen will assess the poten-
2025, the City of Copenhagen is continuing its efforts to tial for reducing carbon emissions from other emission
analyse potential actions and initiatives capable of reduc- sources in the city even more, and monitor develop-
ing the 430,000 tonnes of residual carbon emissions. The ments in the national framework conditions, in order
results of these efforts will be presented as a supplement to create a robust basis on which to achieve the carbon
to Roadmap 2021–2025 in 2021. This process is illustrated neutrality goal using the initiatives that will be presented
below. as supplements to Roadmap 2021–2025.

MID-2020 MID-2021
Roadmap 2021–2025 is pre- A supplement to Roadmap
sented with 47 initiatives distrib- 2021–2025 will be presented with
uted over 17 main action areas initiatives and actions that are ex-
that are expected to reduce car- pected to reduce residual carbon
bon emissions by 200,000 tonnes emissions by 430,000 tonnes up
up to 2025. to 2025.

By virtue of its 2020 Budget, the City Council has decided 7.2. PERSPECTIVES FOR THE PERIOD AFTER 2025
to look into the possibilities of increasing the target for Insofar as the period after 2025 is concerned, the City of
wind-turbine actions from 460 MW to 560 MW. This in- Copenhagen is working on initiatives that will continue
crease is contingent on being able to erect wind turbines the actions within the CPH 2025 Climate Plan’s current
in Øresund, about which greater clarity is expected in the remit and targets, by focusing on how the city can tran-
years ahead. In addition, the city monitors ARC’s efforts sition from carbon neutrality to climate neutrality and
and the lessons it will learn from establishing a carbon a fossil free city, and perhaps become climate positive
capture pilot facility. The transport sector is expected to eventually.
be the biggest source of carbon emissions in Copenha-
gen from 2021. Accordingly, the conclusions of the mo- In the period up to 2023, the city will work out specific
bility analyses – launched by the 2020 Budget with par- actions, goals and visions for climate efforts up to 2030
ticular focus on the scope for reducing carbon emissions and 2035, as well as a long-term goal for 2050. The per-
from road traffic (by 50,000, 75,000 and 100,000 tonnes spectives for climate efforts after 2025 are described in
by 2025) – are crucial for achieving the carbon neutrality brief below.
goal by 2025.

Besides the potential actions analysed in light of the 2020

budget, a number of framework conditions are being
changed that could impact the target fulfilment of the

59
7.2.1. The Climate Plan after 2025
The conversion from carbon neutral to fossil free or cli- • Develop Copenhagen’s utility systems so that they
mate neutral and the linking of climate actions to efficient are better geared for the energy system of the fu-
utilisation of scarce resources is generally the next major ture based on renewable energy. This requires that
challenge for Copenhagen’s climate efforts. By leading energy consumption in buildings is made more
the way in the transformation, Copenhagen can retain its flexible, that the district heating system can adapt to
leading position and take responsibility for developing fluctuating electricity production from wind turbines
new innovative solutions that can drive the green trans- and renewable energy, and that the transport sector
formation forward globally. can be converted to electricity and other alternative
energy sources based on renewable energy to a far
The City of Copenhagen’s climate action efforts after greater extent.
2025 must be based on the actions included in the CPH
2025 Climate Plan, but also consider Copenhagen’s • Ensure that efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emis-
green transformation in a long-term perspective. The sions are supplemented by other criteria in the de-
reason for this is that the green transformation will not velopment of the energy system of the future, e.g. by
have been completed in all sectors when Copenhagen reducing the use of biomass, developing integrated,
becomes carbon neutral in 2025. In the period after circular resource systems and producing more
2025, there will still be work to do to reduce residual energy locally from PV modules, heat pumps and
emissions in order for Copenhagen to become fossil free. possibly geothermal energy.
Therefore, after 2025, climate efforts must:
By leading the way in this action, Copenhagen can retain
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the emis- its leading position and take responsibility for developing
sion sources still left in the city. This will primarily new innovative solutions that can drive the green trans-
be from transport and the last remaining emissions formation forward globally.
from the energy system.

• Develop mobility and transport solutions in Copen-

hagen so they are more energy efficient and have a
greatly reduced climate and environmental impact
and strain on urban spaces.

CARBON REDUCTION AND RESIDUAL EMISSIONS IN 2025

700.000
630.000

600.000 4.000

500.000
130.000 430.000
Tonnes

58.000 8.000
400.000

300.000

200.000

100.000
The Climate Plan pillars
in relation to a baseline
Baseline Energy Energy Mobility City Admin. Residual projection
Projection Consumption Production Initiatives Emissions

60
Fælledparken, Østerbro district. Photo: Troels Heien
View across Kalvebod Fælled from Ørestad. Photo: Astrid Maria Rasmussen
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Overview of pillars, main action areas
and initiatives in Roadmap 2021–2025

PILLAR MAIN ACTIONS INITIATIVES

Energy-efficient Energy-efficient operation of district heating units

operations
Electricity savings

Energy Leap partnering with professional building

Energy Consumption
owners
The Energy Consumption
in Roadmap 2021–2025 Social housing associations
includes ten initiatives
Property administrators - offers to cooperative and
distributed across four
homeowner associations
main action areas, with
a reduction of carbon Refurbishment and new Energy retrofitting in the renewal of urban areas and
emissions of 4,000 build buildings
tonnes.
Energy-efficient focus in building permits

Sustainability tool for local planning

Conversion Conversion of individually oil-heated buildings

Photovoltaic modules PV Action Plan

PILLAR MAIN ACTIONS INITIATIVES

Carbon Neutral District Continued securing of sustainable biomass

Heating
Development of the future district-heat production

Development of the future district-heating system

Reducing the need for peak load production

Converting peak and reserve load capacity

Energy Production
The Energy Production Carbon Neutral Utilities Green town gas
pillar in Roadmap 2021–
Development of district cooling
2025 includes sixteen
initiatives distributed Carbon neutral water supplies and sewerage
across four main action
Carbon-neutral waste-water processing
areas, with a reduction
of carbon Wind and Sun Establish onshore wind turbines
emissions of 130,000
Establish offshore wind turbines
tonnes.
Establish large-scale PV systems

Resources and Waste Establishing materials recovery facilities (Dirty MRF)

Implementing biogas solution for organic household

waste

Higher level of household waste sorting

Higher level of business/industry waste sorting

64
PILLAR MAIN ACTIONS INITIATIVES

Mobility Public transport 100% zero emission buses in 2025 (including harbour
The Mobility pillar in buses)
Roadmap 2021–2025
Maritime traffic Shore power for cruise ships
includes four initiatives
distributed across three Maritime environmental zone in Copenhagen’s inner
main areas, that reduces basin
total carbon emissions by
Construction machinery Conversion of non-road machinery in the city
58,000 tonnes.

PILLAR MAIN ACTIONS INITIATIVES

The city’s energy Energy retrofitting

consumption (energy efficiency projects)

Energy-efficient operation
(streamlining of day-to-day operations)

Flexible energy consumption

The City of Copenhagen’s new construction

Street lighting

City Administration The city’s transport Efficient transport and electric and hydrogen powered
Initiatives vehicles
The City Administra-
Requirements for non-road mobile machinery in
tion Initiatives pillar in
construction projects
Roadmap 2021–2025
includes seventeen initi- Tightened requirements for supplier transport
atives distributed across
The city’s companies Charting of initiatives in the City of Copenhagen’s
six main action areas, with
companies
a reduction of carbon
emissions of 8,000 The city’s procurement Ecolabelled products and services
tonnes.
Electricity-saving products

Systematic follow-up

The city’s woodlands 100,000 trees in Copenhagen

Semi-urban tree planting

Training and information Climate Ambassador Training Programme

Climate Action Showroom

Climate Training Programme

65
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P u bli s h e d b y:
T h e Cli m at e S e c r et a ri at
T e c h ni c al a n d E n vi r o n m e nt al A d mi ni st r ati o n,
Cit y o f C o p e n h a g e n

F r o nt p a g e p h ot o: A st ri d M a ri a R a s m u s s e n
Ot h e r p h ot o s:
A st ri d M a ri a R a s m u s s e n
A st ri d M a ri a R a s m u s s e n / C o p e n h a g e n M e di a C e nt e r
B h a rt 9 0 7 0 / Pi x a b a y
C a e c a C o p e n h a g e n / C o p e n h a g e n M e di a C e nt e r
C h ri st o ff e r R e gil d / A R C
H OF OR
J e n s P a n d ur o
K ø b e n hav ns K o m m u n e
M a rti n Di et z
T r o el s H ei e n
T or b e n E s k er o d
U r s ul a B a c h

L a y o ut: T M F - d e si g n
P ri nti n g: R o s e n d a hl s