Viuf and Håstrup Solar Park

Viuf and Håstrup Solar Park is an iconic renewable energy project near Kolding and Vejle. Collaboration and strong commitment from the municipality and local organisations made it possible to combine a large-scale solar park with both local infrastructure and initiatives to support climate and biodiversity.

263

GWh

expected annual output
165,000

Danes

equal to electricity consumption
344

hectares

total project area
126

hectares

recreational areas

Solar park connecting small towns

Viuf and Håstrup Solar Park is located on the boarder of Kolding Municipality and Vejle Municipality in Jutland, Denmark. The area was previously farmland and inaccessible for the public.

Now it offers walking and cycling paths between the two small towns of Viuf and Håstrup, thus contributing to the local infrastructure. Paths and other recreational initiatives cover more than one third of the total project area.

Who made Viuf and Håstrup Solar Park a reality through power purchase

Community and nature initiatives

Dialogue with the local councils	Local engagement	Local engagement has involved representatives from Kolding and Vejle municipalities, as well as the Viuf Citizens' Association, Håstrup City Guild, and the Danish Society for Nature Conservation. These stakeholders have contributed to the development of nearly all park initiatives.
Icon with bee, leave and owl	Nature	126 hectares dedicated to nature and recreational areas, including more than 641,000 m² allocated for two green corridors in the area and over 30,000 m² for restoration of wetlands.
icon of trees	Biodiversity forest	The production forest has been converted into a biodiversity forest, with veteranized trees, light wells, and water mirror to create more biodiversity in the area.
icon of deer	Wildlife passages	Wildlife passages will ensure the mobility of local wildlife.
Icon of tree frog	Habitats	New habitats created for the European tree frog (also known as Hyla Arborea). This rare local species is an endangered tree frog and the smallest one in Denmark.
Icon of pedestrian tunnel	Pedestrian tunnel	The pedestrian tunnel under the main road is connecting the town of Viuf with the recreational nature areas of the solar park.
Person walking	Walking trails	11 km of trails for walking, running or bicycling are connecting the towns of Viuf and Håstrup. The trails are a combination of existing field roads, and newly established gravel paths and boardwalks.
Icon of tent and bench	Recreational Initiatives	A shelter area in the biodiversity forest with two larger shelters and a fire pit is available to the public free of charge.
icon of table set	Picnic table sets	Recreational rest areas where you can enjoy food brought from home.
icon of viewing tower	Lookout points	Two lookout points have been placed to provide the opportunity to enjoy the view both over the park and the surrounding landscape.
Icon of table set and house	Lunch pack shelter	At the end of the restored stream, the picnic house offers a sheltered space for rest. The building is constructed from Danish Douglas fir and SC/PEFC-certified wooden posts. The lunch pack shelter was named 'The Sun Cabin' by the local community.
icon of dog	Dog parks	Dog parks have been created as fenced areas where dogs of all sizes can play freely. These spaces allow dogs to roam off-leash in a safe and secure environment.
icon of cattle	Natural grazing	Some areas are grazed by Galloway cattle, a small, hardy breed that can graze outdoors year-round. Their grazing helps maintain the openness of the landscape, as they create natural patterns with their hoofprints and manage vegetation by eating grasses, shrubs, and small trees.

The Sun Cabin

A lunch pack shelter is located on the picturesque site by the re-opened streams. The local community named the lunch shelter 'The Sun Cabin' with a vote organised by the Viuf Citizen's Association.

Planting wild flowers

The Danish Society of Nature Conservation sows seeds on more than 10.000 m2 of the project area. The seeds are a local wild flower mix that will help boost the native fauna.

Habitats for frogs

The area is home to a unique resident: the tree frog, Denmark's smallest frog, easily recognised by its bright green color. New habitats have been created to support the tree frog and help it thrive in the region.

Shelter area for the local community

Large shelters, a mole toilet and a fire pit are available to the public free of charge. This area, once a production forest, is now a biodiversity forest with light wells, and water mirrors to enhance biodiversity.

Do you know "The Viuf Approach"?

The Viuf and Håstrup Solar Park has given its name to a particular way of working with energy projects, known in some media as "The Viuf Approach". This way of working encourages renewable energy developers to actively collaborate and consider the needs of the local community.

In Viuf and Håstrup, we have collaborated closely with local stakeholders to secure community support. Local representatives and nature organisations have been an important part of developing and tailoring the solar park.

Together, we explored ways to include multifunctional spaces for nature and recreation so the renewable energy park can create lasting value for the local community while supporting long-term regional energy planning.

Best practice to inspire solar park development

The Viuf Approach was first mentioned in the local Danish News media when TV2 Syd aired a feature, highlighting the Viuf and Håstrup Solar Park as a model example for developing renewable energy parks.

Watch the TV2 Syd feature about the Viuf approach (in Danish)

Celebrating the park with the local community

The new recreational areas around the Viuf and Håstrup Solar Park were inaugurated in August 2024 with a community celebration. This was a great occasion to welcome local residents and everyone to enjoy the large nature spaces now made publicly available.

Acknowledged for ability to impact sustainability

Denmark's biggest business news media, Børsen, acknowledged the Viuf and Håstrup Solar Park for being able to inspire others by setting new standards on how to scale impact in the green transition. The renewable energy project was selected for Børsen's top 50 Sustainability Cases in 2024. It was recognised for dedicating more than 126 hectares of the solar park to nature and recreational areas.