Gas network expansion begins in Nykøbing Falster with new pipeline connecting Everdrup to Lolland and Falster

A natural gas network expansion is underway at a ceremony in Nykøbing Falster today, marking the launch of a 115-kilometer gas pipeline that connects Everdrup in southern Zealand to Lolland and Falster. This pipeline will link two sugar factories in Nakskov and Nykøbing Falster to the broader natural gas network. The switch to natural gas is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 51,000 tons annually compared to the current use of oil and coal.

However, critics argue that this approach undermines the green transition. Brian Vad Mathiesen, a professor of energy planning at Aalborg University, contends that instead of extending gas infrastructure, efforts should have focused on upgrading the factories to utilize the abundant green energy available in the region. He emphasizes that natural gas still emits significant CO2.

Mathiesen also criticizes the project’s budget, which has ballooned from an initial estimate of 800 million to nearly 1.5 billion, a cost burden that will fall on gas customers. He points out that transporting natural gas via ship could have been a more cost-effective solution, calling the pipeline project the largest societal loss project approved.

While Nordic Sugar, the owner of the two factories and a subsidiary of the German sugar giant Nordzucker, has refrained from commenting, Mikkel Wesselhoff, CEO of Business Lolland Falster, expresses enthusiasm for the new pipeline, noting its significance not only for the sugar factories but also for attracting related investments to the area.

Climate, Energy, and Supply Minister Lars Aagaard expressed his optimism over the shift from oil to gas, highlighting the potential benefits of the new pipeline for the wider region.