NEWS: Aabenraa builds on green momentum with PtX boom and local benefits

With Europe's first commercial e-methanol plant now active in Kassø, Aabenraa Kommune has become a focal point in Denmark’s green transition. The municipality’s model of combining solar, wind, and PtX projects in multiparks is attracting investment, jobs, and public support.

Aabenraa's green strategy is both pragmatic and ambitious. By coordinating renewable energy development with infrastructure upgrades and public involvement, the municipality has ensured not just acceptance but genuine enthusiasm. In a recent public hearing on new wind turbines, not a single objection was raised. Mayor Jan Riber Jakobsen credits this to Aabenraa’s consistent focus on local ownership and visible benefits for residents.

The PtX facility in Kassø is already delivering surplus heat to local homes via a newly installed district heating pipeline. Aabenraa’s city council has agreed to expand the network wherever it is feasible, helping citizens reduce heating costs while cutting emissions. The facility itself was built in under 18 months using mostly local labour.

Future plans include expanded battery parks, biosolutions companies, and “repowering” old solar arrays with newer, more efficient panels. With strategic investments in grid capacity, transport, and planning, Aabenraa is aiming not just to follow the green shift but to lead it, locally and in the broader European energy landscape. Read the full article in Naturlig Energi Magazine.