Bruun & Hjejle advises Fælledby, a pioneer in establishing one of Denmark's largest energy communities

A large-scale energy community

Fælledby – a joint venture between By & Havn (Copenhagen City & Port Development Corporation) and PensionDanmark – has taken an important step towards an energy system of the future by setting up one of Denmark's largest energy communities to date. The energy community of Fælledby includes a wide range of participants; homeowners, tenants, small retail businesses and municipal institutions. Also the social housing units are seeking approval from the municipal authorities to join the community.

Bruun & Hjejle has advised on the formation and organisation of the energy community and contributed to ensuring a legal framework that both supports the ambitions and fulfils the legal requirements involved.

Organisation is crucial to success

An energy community requires careful organisation from the outset. The complexity of applicable legislation necessitates both deep legal insight and local knowledge to set up a sustainable model. Local commitment and financial backing combined with a clear organisational structure are crucial to ensure that participants support and have a sense of ownership of the energy community.

Technical infrastructure creates value

For the energy community to be sustainable – both from financial and climate perspectives – a well-functioning technical infrastructure is essential. Fælledby provides a range of features such as:

• Integrated solar cells on all suitable roof surfaces
• Batteries for storage of excess energy
• Charging stations for electric cars
• Intelligent systems for displaying and controlling energy consumption

The features contribute to higher self-sufficiency and better utilisation of the local energy production.

Benefits for participants

The energy community of Fælledby aims to achieve 35% self-sufficiency and to sell excess power. Volume makes it possible to enter into agreements with electricity suppliers and negotiate prices that are stable, favourable and below the market spot price. The residents of Fælledby are expected to save approx. 10% on electricity prices and subscription. The energy community can also offer system services such as capacity regulation to stabilise the collective network, which can result in additional benefits.

A model for inspiration

Fælledby covers an area of approx. 220,000 square metres and will include 2,000 housing units, two daycare centres and a school, with the energy community covering the entire area. This is possible because current legislation allows production, consumption and storage to be combined in energy communities, thereby enabling local electricity production to be shared across several buildings and between various end-users via the energy community.

One strength of the model is the diverse composition of its participants. With all housing units, retail businesses and institutions included, electricity consumption is distributed more evenly throughout the day and night, leading to more stable and efficient utilisation of the energy produced.

A platform for green transition

Energy communities such as the one in Fælledby can act as catalysts for other green initiatives, benefiting both the climate and the local area. With careful organisation, technical infrastructure and local support, energy communities are relevant tools in the green transition – and Fælledby is a prime example of how to achieve this in practice.