Waste to energy plant in Copenhagen to feature ski hill

September 28, 2015 0 By Amanda Giasson

The renewable energy facility will be an attraction for citizens of Copenhagen.

Danish company B&W Vølund is working on continuing with Denmark’s clean energy efforts, and is constructing a waste to energy plant in Copenhagen, the nation’s capital, that will not only produce energy from waste, but its roof will also provide the city’s citizens with a skiing destination and other outdoor activities.

Citizens will be able to ski all year long on an ecological artificial slope.

The ski slope will feature three different difficulty levels and, in addition to skiing, the roof of the plant is also supposed to include a terrain park with forest areas, wall climbing, hike trails, and even a possible mountain bike trail.

BIG, the architectural studio behind the Copenhill energy from waste plant, wanted to create a “new breed” of waste-to-energy facility, “one that is economically, environmentally, and socially profitable.”

Ole Hedegaard Madsen, B&W Vølund’s director of technology and marketing, said that the multi-purpose plant “provides energy and waste treatment, and will be an architectural landmark and a leisure facility. The novelty of the project is the combination of ingenious technology and innovative architecture in a project dedicated [to the] local community.”

The waste to energy plant will set new standards in sustainable power production.

Denmark is well known for its environmental efforts and for its incredible feats in reducing its nation’s waste. According to an article from Big Think, currently, only 4% of the country’s waste goes to landfills. As for the rest, 54% of its waste is being converted into energy while the other 42% is recycled.

Copenhill will supposedly set new standards in recycling and sustainable energy production. Once operational, the plant will process 400,000 tons of waste annually with 99% energy efficiency. All different types of waste will be recycled, including water, metal, and ash. It is expected to generate enough power for 62,500 homes and heat for 160,000 homes.

In addition, another unique feature of the facility is it has been designed to keep the public aware of its carbon footprint. Each time the plant releases a ton of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, a ring of smoke puffs out of the factory’s chimney.

The waste to energy plant is expected to be completed in 2017.

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