By Susanne Togeby, AAU Communication and Public Affairs
Photo: Lars Horn, Baghuset

Like 2022 and 2023, the year 2024 was marked by significant focus on the green transition, energy security, and the integration of new technologies into the energy system. It is therefore no surprise that Brian Vad Mathiesen’s expertise was in high demand. According to the energy professor, several key topics in the energy debate stood out from previous years dominated by the energy crisis. He explains:

"2024 was also a year of disappointments, particularly regarding tenders, the lack of expansion in renewable energy, and the unfulfilled expectations for Power-to-X. Expectations for hydrogen also proved to be overestimated, leading to a broader recognition of the technology’s current limitations. At the same time, there was intense debate on district heating expansion, electrification, and especially energy security. Energy policy remained high on the agenda with many nuanced discussions."

65% of electricity consumption from wind turbines and solar panels

Despite the disappointments of 2024, Brian Vad Mathiesen believes that Denmark is well on its way to reaching its 70% greenhouse gas reduction target by 2030. One undeniable success was that 65% of electricity consumption came from wind turbines and solar panels. Paradoxically, this achievement received little attention in the debate, as focus shifted to a failed tender aimed at increasing wind power capacity by 40%.

To illustrate the complexity of the energy market, he points out that Denmark experienced the lowest electricity prices in four years, despite a roughly 5% increase in electricity consumption. This makes it even more important to have experts who can explain these developments.

"It is crucial, when it comes to energy and the green transition, that decisions and debates, including societal developments, are grounded in facts, based on the knowledge we have as researchers in our field. The entire area is highly complex," Brian Vad Mathiesen states.