Heat supply: Goals and means over the years
Prior to 1979, there was no law regulating heat supply in Denmark. Most consumers had oil furnaces or other forms of heating.
As early as 1903, the first CHP was built at Frederiksberg Hospital. The first large public DH system was developed in Copenhagen in the 1930s - the DH supply was based on surplus heat from local electricity production. In the 1950s and 1960s, DH supply was extended to most of the country's large cities. When the law on heat supply took effect, there were approximately 700,000 DH installations.
This page provides a short description of some of the decisions and choices that have been particularly significant in the development of heat supply in Denmark.
The major develpment of the sector took place in the 1980s and 1990s.
During the 1980s a heat planning system was introduced due to the overall concern of security of supply.
In the 1990s the district heating sector was developed further to co-produce electricity and heat. Also other means were adopted to bring about a more environmentally sustainable energy sector.