Even when it was launched in 2017, it was already a pioneering waste-to-energy facility that was destined to attract attention. Indeed, ever since then, as well as possessing state-of-the-art technology enabling it to optimise its energy and environmental performance, Amager Bakke has been heralded as a kind of revolution. A new generation of incinerator that wasn't just designed to generate energy and heat for the Danish capital, but also promised to become a place for Copenhagen's citizens to practice sport, ski or go climbing. Two years on and the promise has been kept, the ski slopes are open and the climbing walls are well on their way to being completed for 2020.
Perhaps, from here on in, the Amager Bakke experience will change everyone's perception. There is no doubt that when one sees the word “incinerator”, the first thing that comes to mind is the pollution that will be produced. It's something we'd never want anywhere near our city, let alone right in the middle of it.
However, in Copenhagen, they've found a way to give waste a second life and to do so in the best possible way, by making the needs of the city and its citizens the top priority. In so doing, thanks to a combination of innovative technology and integrated architecture, a waste-to-energy facility has been created – aimed at producing energy from collected waste – which was immediately recognised as being one of the best in Europe in terms of energy efficiency, the capacity to process waste and the focus on the environment, but also in terms of its architectural beauty and acceptance from the community.
