Danish transmission system operator Energinet will abandon its first-come-first-served principle for grid connection from 2026, aiming to accelerate access for the most advanced wind, solar, battery and large electricity-using projects.
The company said backlogs in screening and permitting have increased as more developers and major consumers seek to link to the transmission network. Under the new model, Energinet will prioritise projects that meet defined maturity criteria and make the most effective use of existing grid capacity.
Kim Willerslev Jakobsen, Energinet’s director for system responsibility, said the current approach had become counterproductive. “The first-come-first-served principle is no longer beneficial, neither for the green transition nor for the plant owners,” he said.
Projects will only be allowed into the screening queue once they can document minimum maturity, including a realistic chance of securing required land and a timeline covering local planning and environmental permitting. Eligible projects will then be grouped according to how efficiently they use the present grid and whether a municipal local plan proposal has been adopted.
Energinet said projects that are further advanced in local authority processes or that require less reinforcement of the grid will be prioritised over earlier-stage developments.
Stakeholders may submit comments on the proposed model until Jan. 1, ahead of implementation on Feb. 1, 2026. The operator said the change represents a first step, with additional measures planned to streamline grid-connection pathways. Transmission expansions driven by distribution companies will proceed unchanged, it added.
