Baltic Energy Market Interconnection Plan GRIP 2017

3.1 Denmark

3.1.1 ENERGY POLICY

The Danish government has a long-term objective that Denmark is to become independent of fossil fuels by the year 2050 and that while pursuing this objective Denmark must continue to be one of the leading countries in the green transition. The basis for this is a broad parliamentarian agreement (2012–2020) focusing on increased energy efficiency, more renewable energy, smart grid strategy, better framework for biogas and electricity/biomass in the transport sector. Recently the Danish government has established an Energy Commission that will analyse and assess trends in the energy sector and make recommendations for a cost-effective Danish energy policy for the period 2020–2030. The Energy Commis- sion is expected to publish recommendations for the Danish energy policy in 2017. The national energy policy is also reflecting the commitments to the international climate agreements and the EU targets. International cooperation is seen as vital for handing the climate issue and ensuring a more cost effective energy transition. More recently, Denmark has taken initiative to host the annual EU Energy Infrastruc- ture Forum that is facilitating the development of the European gas and electricity infrastructure that is in need of significant developments estimated to 200 billion euros towards 2020. The current energy policy has on the one hand resulted in increasing production of biogas, but on the other hand, it has also resulted in reduced consumption of natural gas. This is due to increased energy efficiency and increased use of tax exempted biomass for CHP. The current government has no coherent strategy for the use of natural gas in the transport sector. Owners of the physical infrastructure include: \\ Energinet.dk is the gas transmission company in Denmark that owns and operates the natural gas transmission system. Energinet.dk ensures the large gas pipelines to be available on equal term to all who want to transport gas in Denmark. The capacity is sold through PRISMA at competitive transmission tariffs. \\ HMN Naturgas, Nature Energy Distribution, Gasforsyningen Aalborg and Danish Gas Distribution (owned by Energinet.dk). They own and operate the distribution system, which is divided into six distributions areas. \\ Energinet.dk Gas Storage owns and operates the two gas storage facilities in Denmark, one at Stenlille on Zealand, and one at Lille Torup in Northern Jutland. Energinet.dk Gas Storage offers flexible and custom-made storage products. There is a consolidation-taking place in the Danish gas market. In 2014, Energinet.dk acquired the gas storage facility (Stenlille) from DONG Energy and created one company, Energinet.dk Gas Storage that owns and operates the two gas storage facilities in Denmark. In autumn 2016, Energinet.dk took over the ownership of DONG Gas Distribution and renamed the company “Danish Gas Distribution” (Dansk Gasdistribution).

3.1.2 MARKET PLAYERS

BEMIP Gas Regional Investment Plan 2017 |

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