Denmark’s Forsikring & Pension (F&P) has welcomed parliament’s new agreement on a marine plan for the country, which commits 30 per cent of the Danish sea area to renewable energy production, but was disappointed that it included the halting of ‘open door’ projects.

The open door scheme allowed energy companies in Denmark to install renewable energy projects through the submission of unsolicited applications.

F&P said that while the new agreement strikes a difficult balance between the development of renewable energy and the protection of Denmark’s marine life, the ending of open door projects was a “major minus”.

“As an insurance and pension industry, we are strongly concerned with ensuring a sustainable future for the next generations, and the new marine plan manages to ensure a balance between more renewable energy and the protection of our marine environment,” said F&P deputy director, Tom Vile Jensen.

“But we are quite upset that the plan also closes the open door scheme.”

Despite the removal of the open door scheme, Vile Jensen was felt positively about the fact that 30 per cent of the Danish sea area will be dedicated to renewable energy production.

He stated: “The agreement ensures that nature and biodiversity get the best possible conditions for coexistence with the offshore wind turbines during the green expansion. This is clearly good news.”

While the pensions industry would have liked to have seen a continuation of the open door scheme, according to F&P, it is now instead looking forward to having the opportunity to invest in offshore wind as soon as possible following the agreement.

The agreement includes the tendering of state offshore wind farms with up to 14 GW of offshore wind turbines.

“Denmark is in fierce competition with the rest of the world for green investments,” said Vile Jensen.

“So now it is the power of execution and the pace that will be absolutely decisive in order to secure the investments in Denmark's offshore wind development.

“We therefore call on the government to present a long-term energy investment plan for the next stages in the expansion of renewable energy.”

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