The rules in Denmark are crystal clear: If you want to produce food or food ingredients, the water used in the production must be of drinking water quality. And in Denmark, “drinking water quality” means water from the public water supply—groundwater, to be specific.
This rule could make things difficult for Hveiti, which aims to establish a wheat refinery in Nakskov. The plan is to produce starch and glucose from wheat kernels, which will later be used in the food and medical industries. The problem is that the refining process requires large amounts of water, and the groundwater resources on Lolland are under pressure.
Can be solved with technical water
However, the problem is relatively easy to solve if “technical water” is used instead. Technical water is treated surface water from lakes or rivers, treated wastewater, or other treated water sources. And there is an abundance of such water on Lolland.
Much of it is hidden, for example, in sugar beets. A sugar beet consists of 70 percent water, and this water ends up in large reservoirs before being treated and discharged into Nakskov Fjord. These reservoirs are located almost next door to the area where Hveiti plans to build its refinery. Therefore, it makes perfect sense that Hveiti could treat the water from sugar production and use it in its processes. But currently, the regulations stand in the way.
Working for new rules or exemptions
That’s why Hveiti is working behind the scenes to get the rules changed or to obtain an exemption. Kristian Bennetsen, co-founder and CFO of Hveiti, mentioned this during a presentation for the supplier network FB Suppliers in Holeby on Thursday:
– We are very mindful of complying with the rules, but at the same time, it would mean a lot to us to get an exemption or a change in the regulations, so we are pushing for that. It’s not that we will abandon our plans if we don’t succeed, but it is very important to us, said Kristian Bennetsen.
Cleaner than drinking water
Treated technical water could end up being significantly cleaner than the water that comes out of the taps. For example, it is a requirement for the water used in power-to-x processes. Here, the water ideally should consist of nothing but the two elements oxygen and hydrogen, to be able to separate the hydrogen through an electrolysis process.
Power-to-x is exactly what European Energy has big plans for—also in Nakskov and in the same area near Stensø, where Hveiti plans to build. Pure technical water will thus be a resource that will be readily available on Lolland in the future. It is also a prerequisite for the business and growth adventure around Nakskov to continue. Lolland Municipality has already announced that the groundwater resources on Lolland are too strained to be used industrially.
