Hanstholm is already the leading Danish wave energy centre...

Creation date: 24 February 2010

- featuring more test plants than e.g. EMEC-UK, which cost approximately DKK 150 million.

Once again, these statements, as well as the fact that the wave energy industry unambiguously pointed to Hanstholm as the best place in Denmark to establish wave energy test plants, were put forward on November 4th 2009 during a DanWEC (Danish Wave Energy Center) task group meeting held at Aalborg University.

At the meeting in Aalborg, Niels Arpe represented Wave Star; however, his statements were fully in line with previous statements made by Jørgen Mads Clausen on the unique wave conditions and water depth making Hanstholm the perfect place to establish a Danish wave energy test centre. 

Along with the wave energy company representatives, the meeting was also attended – and hosted – by Jens Peter Kofoed and Peter Frigaard from Aalborg University, who, amongst other things, will solve the task of defining the future content of the knowledge and test facilities. Amongst other issues, the wave energy industry representatives requested an analysis of cabling and pilot zones. In the hope that Danish politicians will soon realise what vast possibilities investments into Hanstholm have to offer, the industry representatives also pointed out that many initiatives are being implemented at a high speed in other countries.

The Municipality of Thisted was represented by trade promotion and development manager Jan Krogh, who will continue to work on the organisational tasks connected to centre layout, establishment of a board of directors etc.

Project manager Britta Vang Mikkelsen from the Port Forum of Hanstholm spoke about the process behind and the satisfactory results obtained from the most recent Hanstholm installations, and both Niels Arpe from Wave Star and Anders Vejby from Wave Plane confirmed that Hanstholm offers a very good maritime service. This criteria is of utmost importance during the test phase, which the industry of wave energy is going through right now.

Britta Vang Mikkelsen will continue to work on the definition of services, internet solutions etc. She will also contact various industry players – possibly through a range of consultancy firms – who are involved with this project, which is supported by the Growth Forum of Northern Jutland, in order to be able to offer the services defined by the wave energy industry as being of vital importance when establishing a suitable framework for future developments and tests.

For further information, please contact:

Wave Plane, Anders Vejby  av@waveplane.dk

Wave Star, Niels Arpe          arpe@esenet.dk

Wave Star, Jørgen Mads Clausen  jorgen.clausen@danfoss.com

Wave Dragon, Erik Friis-Madsen  efm@wavedragon.net

Aalborg University, Jens Peter Kofoed jpk@civil.aau.dk

Aalborg University, Peter Frigaard  pf@civil.aau.dk

Port of Hanstholm, Birgitte Juhl bj@portofhanstholm.dk

Municipality of Thisted, Jan Kroghjkro@thisted.dk

Port Forum of Hanstholm, Britta Vang Mikkelsen bvm@hanstholmhavneforum.dk