Imagine a ski slope sitting atop a power plant. That’s Amager Bakke. This isn’t your average industrial building. Amager Bakke, also known as Copenhill, is a combined heat and power waste-to-energy plant. It’s also a recreational facility standing tall at 85 meters.
Opened in 2017, Amager Bakke replaced an older incineration plant. This older plant was transitioning from coal to biomass. Amager Bakke plays a vital role. It helps Copenhagen meet its goal of zero carbon emissions by 2025.
The recreational areas opened in December 2018. These include a dry ski run, a hiking trail and a climbing wall. Around 42,000 to 57,000 people visit each year. Amager Bakke was even named the World Building of the Year in 2021.
Construction of Amager Bakke cost an estimated 670 million dollars. The plant can burn 400,000 tons of municipal solid waste each year. The sloped roof serves a dual purpose. It functions as a year-round artificial ski slope and hiking area. The climbing wall is among the tallest in the world at 80 meters.
Amager Bakke can switch between operating modes. It produces electricity and district heating based on demand. Amazingly, it produces more clean water than it uses. Advanced filtration reduces sulphur emission by 99.5%. NOx emissions are reduced by about 95%. Dioxins and HCl are also significantly reduced. It is claimed to be the cleanest incineration plant in the world.
Amager Bakke brings cleaner energy and leisure facilities to Copenhagen. It transforms waste into electricity and district heating. The plant emits significantly less sulphur and NOx than its predecessor. It also recovers water and metals. Architects designed Amager Bakke to be part of the city. It provides both social and physical infrastructure.
State-of-the-art technology is used throughout Amager Bakke. It extracts 100 percent of the waste’s energy content. It generates electricity from waste at 28 percent efficiency. The plant uses Selective Catalytic Reduction technology. This cleans flue gasses to minimize NOx emissions.
Amager Bakke collects waste from over 500,000 residents and 45,000 businesses each year. It generates heat and electricity for almost 150,000 homes. The building has 43,000 square meters of floor space.
Creating a flexible and robust roof was essential. It supports a ski slope, a municipal park, and sports facilities. An adapted steel structure and special steels were required. The project won awards for its use of digital tools. It also received the European Steel Prize. This recognized its combination of green energy and recreation.
So next time you think of a power plant, remember Amager Bakke. It’s not just about waste and energy. It’s about innovation, recreation, and a greener future.