Lene Espersen becomes chairperson of Green Hub Denmark

Back in May, a strong partnership of public and private actors launched Green Hub Denmark with the clear ambition to make Aalborg and North Jutland the preferred location for the large-scale testing and demonstration of the future climate-neutral society. Since then, support for the project has only increased, as the partnership now includes ten other North Jutland municipalities, North Denmark Region and more recently an Arctic partner in the Greenland municipality Sermersooq.

In all DKK 7.5 billion is currently earmarked for investments under the auspices of Green Hub Denmark, whose newly constituted Board of Directors and chairperson were presented today. The appointment of former Foreign Minister and Conservative Party leader Lene Espersen as chairperson will bring a political flair and wealth of international experience to the board.

– The establishment of the board is another important step in the development and materialization of Green Hub Denmark, and it gives us great pleasure to present such a high-calibre profile like Lene as the new chairperson. We believe Lene’s extensive experience in politics, the private sector and the world of research can significantly contribute to the establishment and consolidation of Green Hub Denmark as a national and international focal point for large-scale testing of tomorrow’s green solutions and technologies, explains Michael Stie Laugesen, Project Director for Green Hub Denmark.

Lene Espersen is also chairperson of one of key actors behind Green Hub Denmark, namely Aalborg University. She is also CEO of the trade organisation Danish Architectural Firms, which she recently represented as part of the steering committee of the government’s climate partnership for building and construction. Speaking about her appointment to chairperson of Green Hub Denmark, she says:

– I have followed closely and with great interest the development of Green Hub Denmark through my position at Aalborg University, so when I was offered the position of chairperson for the project, I could not say no. We know that we are going to need new technology and new solutions to achieve our goal of transitioning to a climate neutral society, which applies both here in Denmark and around the world. It is a big challenge, but also a tremendous business opportunity for Denmark, bringing growth and job creation, if we can take up the baton and consolidate our position as a world leader in intelligent, sustainable solutions. Here, the ambition is for Green Hub Denmark to play a crucial role, which I am really looking forward to becoming a committed part of, says Lene Espersen and continues:

– North Jutland is the natural location for a platform like Green Hub Denmark. The region is right at the forefront with respect to test facilities. Aalborg University has over 400 energy researchers and is also Denmark’s largest university in the field of IT. Moreover, we can offer a cooperation between public and private actors, research institutions and North Jutland consumers. This structure truly distinguishes us from the rest of world and is crucial for our ability to offer large-scale testing, where new green solutions and technologies are not just tested in laboratories, test halls and such facilities, but in the real world.

As chairperson for Green Hub Denmark, Lene Espersen will play an active role in expanding the platform and generating further support from both private and public decision-makers and not least politicians.

In addition to Chairperson Lene Espersen, the constituted Board of Directors for Green Hub Denmark comprises of:

• Søren Gais Kjeldsen, CEO, Aalborg Utilities
• Peter Rindebæk, Chairman, DI Aalborg
• Ole Nielsen, CEO, Himmerland Boligforening
• Christian Roslev, acting Commercial Director, Aalborg Municipality
• Claus Holstein, CEO, Port of Aalborg
• Rasmus Haugaard, Chairman, ErhvervNorddanmark
• Jacob Stoustrup, Vice Dean Technical Faculty of IT and Design, Aalborg University
• Mette Schmidt, Chairperson, Erhvervsnetværk 9220
• Thomas Lyngholm, CEO, RenoNord

About Green Hub Denmark

Green Hub Denmark is a strong public-private partnership working with green innovation, sustainable business models as well as large-scale testing and demonstration to mitigate climate challenges. The aim is to contribute to the government’s ambitious goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 70 percent by 2030, while attracting more investments and creating more green jobs by turning North Jutland into the green innovation equivalent of Silicon Valley.

Examples of projects under Green Hub Denmark include:

• Establishment of demonstration plant for new technology at Nordjylland Power Station
• The development of the sustainable business park of the future in Aalborg East
• CO2 Capture and Power-to-X system at Aalborg Portland’s factory
• The establishment of the world’s leading district cooling system in Aalborg East

The partnership, based in Aalborg, draws together national and international networks and stands ready to allocate over DKK 7.5 billion of investment into green solutions. The partners represent extensive expertise in research, industry and supply to the private and public sector. The collaboration was originally based on a recommendation from the Growth Team for Green Energy and Environmental Technologies to establish physical platforms that enable the full-scale testing of multiple technologies simultaneously across public utility networks.

Read more about Green Hub Denmark: www.greenhubdenmark.dk