Høje-Taastrup Kommune has set an ambitious goal to become Denmark's greenest growth municipality by combining strong growth with drastic CO2 reductions. The municipality aims to reduce emissions by 50% from 2017 to 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 at the latest, placing it at the forefront among Danish municipalities in the climate effort. In 2017, Høje-Taastrup Kommune emitted 271,000 tonnes of CO2 (p. 5), where the transport sector accounted for a full 54% of emissions, heat supply for 22% and electricity supply for 19% (p. 5). This sector distribution reflects the municipality's unique position as a centrally located transport hub with Høje-Taastrup Transportcenter, two motorways and many transport and logistics companies, but also creates particular challenges for the climate transition. What makes Høje-Taastrup's climate plan particularly challenging is the combination of explosive growth and dominant transport sectors. From 2012-2019, 10,000 new jobs were created and 2,500 new citizens arrived (p. 8), while CO2 emissions were simultaneously reduced by 23%. After 2030, transport's share is expected to rise to 96% of total emissions (p. 9), as electricity and heat supply become fossil-free but heavy transport remains difficult to transition. The most impactful planned initiatives focus on three areas. First, 120 MW of solar panel capacity is to be installed by 2030 (p. 4), including a ground-mounted installation of 28 MW at Kallerup Grusgrav and roof-mounted installations on businesses and housing associations. Second, 30% of passenger car transport and 10% of freight and goods transport are to be transitioned to green fuels (p. 4), supported by comprehensive expansion of charging infrastructure from 2021. Third, the municipality is utilising innovative solutions such as the heat pump project at Mølleholmen, where high groundwater from a closed well site is converted into 13,000 MWh of district heating annually (p. 33). The municipality honestly acknowledges those areas where solutions do not yet exist. In 2050, there will still be a shortfall of 7,831 tonnes of CO2 reduction (p. 9), primarily from heavy transport, older landfill sites and agriculture. There are currently no realistic initiatives to make heavy transport 100% fossil-free, so the plan assumes continued research and technological development over the coming decades. Citizens and businesses are engaged through concrete collaborations rather than symbolic measures. The municipality offers energy audits for homes older than 2000 with poor energy ratings, establishes networks for property managers in housing associations and has entered into a three-year collaboration with NaboGo on carpooling to workplaces. At the same time, dialogue with the many transport companies about transitioning to green fuels is being intensified, while private landowners are invited to retire 150 hectares of lowland soils from agricultural use to increase CO2 absorption.

Source: Klimaplan 2030 (2021)