Eco in Denmark: World's largest solar district heating plant

Yesterday I went for a daytrip to city Marstal (on island Aeroe/ Aero), mostly famous for its sailor history and where the very last transport by sailboat happened. "Farewell To Sails" had its exhibition when I went there, restoring an old ship that drowned and I went for a museum ride. Apart from my enthusiasm for boats and everything that floats, I went to see another tale - how the trial supplement of a solar collector plant for the city's single swimmingpool became the world's largest district heating plant to cover 30 percent of whole Marstal's requirements for heating! I think it is so nice when a little try-out turns into something expansive and re-used, like this one!:)

The plant in whole, 18,354m2. The markers are pointing at the different producers of solar panels and collectors delivered to the plant (four), also the tank for storage, as well as the circulating system and the pit heat store.

Budget of such a project. Supported by EU and Danish Energy Authority

Originally, the story begins with Marstal wanting their swimmingpool to be heated from "alternative energy" because the oil heating had a way too expensive bill. This was in 1993, and economy pushed the island into thinking differently and it was after several meetings an idea of a solar heating system. At the same time Marstal District Heating was interested in replacing some of their waste oil consumption by more eco-friendly fuel. With alittle midwifery from the Danish Association of Consulting Engineers, it resulted in a solar collector on the swimmingpool roof in 1994. The 75m2 solar collectors were to heat the pool only. However, the system also served another purpose: It was a test system to show if solar heating on a major scale was worth staking on. And it was. After six months, the results on paying the heating bill looked so promising that they decided to develope 8,000m2 of solar panels on the field behind the heating plant - and connect them to the district heating network. This was the beginning of the great success! From May till October, Marstal's consumption is 100% covered by solar heating. Source: http://www.solarmarstal.dk/

In danish: A district heating storage, to store heat from solar panels.

Sailor city Marstal. Collecting muliple creativities from all over the world when travelling by the sea.

the restoration of an old sunken ship.

Eco in Denmark: Copenhagen eco city

I'm in Copenhagen. Because of the ecovillage development, unfortunately city developers think that the bunch of conscious consumers are moving out of the city and that there is no need for green market in the biggest cities. That is wrong. Green implementation can be done anywhere, and eco cities are starting to see the light - with China as a frontier so far (ShannonMay's projects etc). In Scandinavia, the leading eco city is by far Copenhagen. These few days of mine here, just confirms this by walking the streets. Above is an english presentation video and here are some great articles in norwegian language from norwegian tourist information centres about Copenhagen eco city:
Budstikka.no - "øko-Køben" (in norwegian)
http://www.visitkoebenhavn.no/content/turist-norsk/se_og_gjore/inspirasjon/gronne_kobenhavn/en_miljobevisst_by

Eco in Denmark: Motivation campaigns everywhere

The danish people, from private institutes and businesses -to governmental plans, are very good at public attitude campaigns through posters,products labels and commercials about global changes and personal growth, which we do not have this much in Norway.

It came as a shock to me to discover how well organized this informal arts-campaign works all over the region! In norwegian stores, the most common bag is a plastic bag when you buy something.

In a danish store, the most common bag is a recycled bag, and it is for the same amount of cost as a backwards-plastic bag in Norway, just alittle less than 1 DKK/1 NOK almost. Whereas recycled bags in Norways would cost 1,70 DKK/NOK almost and bags of other material than plastic - about 17 DKK/NOK.
I will post some examples of the messages printed. Even on the Coke bottle, which is made of recycled plant material by the way, one has a message. 

 And every train has a garbage bag with message, as well as every station has a poster with one. Shops and retails have recommended products with HUGE signs "Ecological" on the front row in the stores, and not hidden in the back of the store. I can name examples: Superbest, Super Brugsen, Lidl, and also the smaller ones.

CORE VALUES IN CULTURE: Without glorifying the danish people as one, it is something special of danish cultural spirit to do information like this, and few people complain about the informal arts because the individuals of danes have something rare in common; to develope common ground at the bottom-up philosophy. As it is not only governmental information, it shows that private businesses care just as much about core values of the people as any rural person does.

The danish people are very proud people of their core and stable social culture, so they keep feeding it to their citizens. If things like this happened in Norway, I think people would immediately start saying there are some few leaders trying to put an idealistic view into some peoples' minds. Instead in Denmark, it is a part of their culture to motivate and engage people in social core values.