Green Transition Denmark and Share invites you to a conference on the citizen-driven part of the energy transition.

Many citizens want to transform their local community, take the lead and propose wind turbines, solar cells and common energy solutions in their own backyard. But despite the local initiatives and the EU's desire to increase precisely that part of the transition to renewable energy, many people run into obstacles that slow down the projects. However, it is possible to reverse the trend. 

Come along to our conference, where you can meet citizens and mayors who are trying to cut through the stumbling blocks and find recipes for how they can set up more solar cells and wind turbines and create a green district heating supply.  

We will also hear about how the EU, with common energy communities, will lift villages out of their dependence on oil and gas and onto renewable energy.  

Meet leading Danish politicians and European parliamentarians and hear how they want to support the green wave from below.   

Time: Monday 27 November from 13-16.40pm

Place: Politikens Hus, Pressen, Vester Voldgade 33, 1785 Copenhagen V and online

Preliminary program

At 12.15-13:00: Arrival, registration, sandwich, soft drink, coffee

At 13:00-13:10: Welcome v/moderator Mads Nyvold, journalist for Politiken's Climate Monitorr

At 13.10-13.20: Opening speech

In the EU, there is pressure to switch from coal, oil and gas to wind, solar and green heat. But how are citizens set free so that local initiatives and energy communities can create a green wave from below? 

• v/Green Transition Denmark director, Bjarke Møller

At 13:20-14:20: The local initiatives

More and more enthusiasts are saying yes to more sun, wind and geothermal heating in the local community. We hear about challenges and solutions from some of those who have gone ahead.

• Energy community Avedøre v/Zentropa's managing director Anders Kjærhauge
• How does our village get rid of oil and gas? v/Elisabeth Tejlmand fra Fjelsted-Harndrup
• Sun over Brenderup v/Hans Christian Jørgensen from Brenderup
• Bornholm's Sea Wind v/person for Bornholm's offshore wind farm, Helle Munk Ravnborg

At 14:20-15:00: Panel discussion - The views of mayors and members of parliament

How can municipalities speed up the green energy transition? And can they use the EU as an additional lever? v/politician panel with mayors/politicians consisting of:

• Climate, energy and supply rapporteur from Radikale Venstre, Samira Nawa
• Climate, energy and supply rapporteur from Alternativet, Franciska Rosenkilde
• Mayor of Tønder Municipality, Jørgen Popp Petersen
• Chairman of the Rural District Council and chairman of the Technology and Environment Committee in Lemvig Municipality, Steffen Husted Damsgaard

At 15:00-15:30: Break

At 15:30-16:00: How can the actors secure local support?

We need to hear from people in the industry how we can practically do something about the obstacles and secure local support. What are the experiences of local citizens who say: "Yes in My Backyard". This is where we need to hear from

• Director of Communications at Andel, Rikke Trikker
• Danish Youth Delegate to the UN for democracy and partnerships, Cecilia Zade Iseni
• Senior researcher at Aalborg University, Christian Borch
• Head of department at the Technology Council/Denmark, Dan Holt Højgaard.

At 16:00-16:40: How can we use the EU as a lever in the green transition

The EU has set ambitious targets for the development of renewable energy and would like to give local energy communities a much stronger role in the green transition. But in Denmark, the installation of wind turbines has come to a standstill, and we are also not front-runners in terms of providing good framework conditions for local energy communities. Can we use the EU as a lever for the green transformation of the energy sector?

Participant here

• Leading candidate for the European Parliament elections for the Moderates, Stine Bosse
• Leading candidate for the European Parliament elections for Radical Liberals, Sigrid Friis
• Candidate for the European Parliament elections for SF, Rasmus Nordqvist

The conference is organized by the Green Transition Denmark and Share and is supported by the KR Foundation and the European Climate Foundation.

Financed with a grant from the European Council. Responsibility for the content lies solely with the grant recipient.