103 million euros for Danish electric car network

Better Place, the group working to build networks for electric cars around the globe, announced today it’s closed on €103 million in funding to develop a plug-in car infrastructure in Denmark.

Under the agreement, Denmark’s DONG Energy will work with Better Place Denmark to develop the network and would also become the network’s preferred supplier of renewable energy. Together, the organisations hope to have electric cars ready for the Danish mass market by 2011.

In making the announcement, Better Place said it has also named Jens Moberg as CEO of Better Place Denmark, as well as the head of Better Place Europe, Middle East and Africa Business Development.

“With the U.N. Summit on Climate Change around the corner, Denmark has the opportunity to demonstrate to the world what the future of transportation will look like,” said Shai Agassi, founder and CEO of Better Place.

Added Anders Eldrup, CEO and president of DONG Energy, “Our goal in investing in Better Place Denmark is to help reduce CO2 emissions and increase the consumption of sustainable energy by capturing and leveraging wind power more efficiently.”

Whatever type of energy Better Place is tapping, the organisation certainly has a lot of it in the business sense: since last year, it’s unveiled initiatives for electric car networks in Israel, California, Hawaii, Australia and Ontario, Canada. Let’s hope it can continue to muster such pluck in what looks to be an economically dour 2009.