In a global first, a new waste-to-energy plant in Copenhagen doubles as an artificial ski slope! When it is finished in May, it will be a full fledged outdoor park with year round ski runs and chairlifts, hiking trails that wind up at the top of the “mountain” and a 264-foot climbing wall. From the top, visitors can take in breathtaking views of central Copenhagen and even see all the way to Sweden on a clear day. Once the weather turns, the entire area will be landscaped with trees and plants to create an “alpine” atmosphere. What makes it all the more remarkable is what is underneath — twin furnaces capable of burning 25 to 35 tons of waste per hour. The state of the art incinerator, one of the largest waste-to-energy facilities in northern Europe and one of the cleanest of its kind in the world, produces enough energy to power and heat roughly 150,000 homes. This unusual facility is a visible part of Copenhagen’s goal to become the world’s first carbon-neutral capital by 2025. Way cool! Could the Green New Deal build some of these in the U.S.?
February 28, 2019 » carbon neutral, Copenhagen, skiing, waste-to-energy
