• energy from waste copenhagen

Amager Bakke: energy from waste in Copenhagen

2019-09-10T17:03:54+10:005 Sep 2019|

You wouldn’t normally expect to find a world-class ski slope in the middle of the city, but that’s exactly what energy from waste company ARC has managed to achieve. The spectacular Amager Bakke facility sits in the heart of the CBD only 1.6km away from the Danish royal palace, and residential homes.

 

The facility opened in 2017 and processes the waste from about 600,000 local residents and 68,000 companies. In turn, it produces enough energy to supply at least 50,000 households with electricity and 120,000 homes with heating annually.

 

Despite the extraordinary amount of power produced, the impact on the surrounding residents is minimal. The facility adheres to strict European emissions standards, meaning any chemicals released into the atmosphere as a result of the energy from waste process are released in levels too low to be harmful to humans.

 

The facility is built to the highest standards and is noteworthy in its own right, but it’s the recent exterior renovation of Amager Bakke that makes it truly extraordinary.

 

The sloped roof of the facility has been converted into a 600m long ski slope, the longest in Denmark. The slope includes green, blue and black runs, each with its own lift or conveyor system. The ‘Copenhill’ will also feature a gear rental shop and café to complete the ski slope experience.

 

For those not interested in skiing, Copenhill will also feature 10 tree-filled hiking trails ranging in difficulty, culminating in a lookout point offering stunning views over Copenhagen.

 

If walking to the top seems too slow, visitors can also climb the 80m high climbing wall to the top. The wall is one of the highest in the world, and will offer adventurous souls the same breath-taking views over the Danish capital.

 

Amager Bakke and the Copenhill show is what can be achieved when we think laterally about how communities and energy from waste facilities interact. Amager Bakke has transitioned from simple coexisting with the surrounding city to actively contributing to the thriving, vibrant community in Denmark.

 

Facility images courtesy of the Amager Ressource Centre (https://www.a-r-c.dk/)

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