1 December 2022
Norway's Minister of Trade and Industry to launch export reforms to catch up on offshore wind
In a report at the end of October, the Norwegian National Export Council stated that it must provide recommendations to the Minister for Trade and Industry on export issues. The goal is to increase Norwegian exports other than oil and gas by 50% by 2030. The National Export Council's first recommendation concerns offshore wind power. This requires a number of measures. The Council also believes that Norway's goal is for the Norwegian offshore wind industry to account for 10% of the global offshore wind market by 2030, which implies a turnover of about NOK 85 billion by 2030. The Norwegian Minister for Trade and Industry has proposed a separate project for the export of offshore wind power, to which the state is providing between NOK 50 and 90 million, depending on the contribution of the private participants. The investment includes many larger and smaller measures. But roughly simplified, it is about coordinating and building a PR or sales team that will promote Norwegian offshore wind internationally. In addition, the Government will introduce an independent brand for Norwegian offshore wind and establish public-private partnerships to help Norwegian companies win contracts for large offshore wind projects.
Volvo and Scania to collaborate on hydrogen research in Gothenburg
A new research centre focusing on how hydrogen can be used in the transport sector is about to be put into operation in Gothenburg. The truck manufacturers Volvo and Scania, as well as a number of other companies, are participating in the venture led by the Chalmers University of Technology. The inauguration of Tech for H2, which the centre has been named, took place on 1 December. The Swedish Energy Agency has allocated SEK 54 million to the financing, while Chalmers and nine other industry partners each have allocated an equal amount by contributing with researchers and engineers or investing in equipment. The research conducted at the hydrogen centre will not only take a greater grasp of the future of a hydrogen society, but it will also develop new technology within vehicle-integrated energy storage, fuel cells and sensors.
Finnish start-up Synergi launches technology for smarter electricity consumption for households
In order to help people manage their electricity consumption in a better way, Synergi aims to provide households with easy-to-use tools to achieve smart electricity consumption. The technology allows users to connect their electric vehicles, or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, to Synergi’s software in order to achieve smart charging. Later in 2023, Synergi will enable individuals to connect their solar generation, heat pumps, water boilers and other large household energy resources to the software and thus use them in a smart manner. Synergi has plans to launch its technology to a wider audience in Finland and an additional target market in 2023.
Greenland's blockade causes Arctic air to drop and enter over Sweden
Temperatures are poised to plunge next month in Northern Europe as cold air blows in from the Arctic in what will be the first proper winter test for the region’s fragile energy systems. The Nordic region and Germany will see temperatures well below average for this time of year, with levels in Helsinki falling as much as 6.9 C below average on Tuesday and Wednesday, Maxar Technologies Inc., said in a report. It’s only southern Europe that will be spared the frigid temperatures, forecasters warn. After a milder-than-normal autumn, which allowed utilities to replenish depleted natural gas reserves, the winter’s first prolonged cold snap will put Europe’s power supplies to the test. From Finland to France, governments have warned of shortages and rolling blackouts as demand is set to increase in the coming months.
Closing of major reactor expected to cause even higher electricity prices
In a case of very unfortunate timing, Sweden’s largest nuclear reactor has to close for nine days for repairs starting 9 December. The closing of “reactor 3” at the Oskarshamn plant, which accounts for one third of Sweden’s nuclear power generation, is expected to have a significant effect on electricity prices. According to meteorologists, severe winter weather is on the way, and if there is also very little wind the prices can skyrocket.
Eolus and Simply Blue Group collaborate on developing floating wind farms in the Baltic Sea
SeaSapphire, powered by Eolus and Simply Blue Group, is a joint venture that will develop four floating wind farms in the Baltic Sea, with two of the projects located in Sweden and two in Finland. Eolus and Simply Blue Group will each own 50% of the shares in Sea Sapphire. The projects are under development and great focus is placed on the supply chain, the creation of local jobs and the exploration of alternative uses of the energy produced. If the projects are realised, they could produce up to 40 TWh per year and contribute to meeting the two countries’ ambitions and needs for increased green electricity production.
European Energy presents 3Q22 report
In a quarter characterised by high volatility in the energy market and intense political discussions on how to stem the volatility, EuroEnergy managed to secure growth for the company. European Energy's EBITDA for 3Q22 was DKK 142.8 million and profit before tax was DKK 72.9 million. This is up from 3Q21, which had EBITDA of DKK 40.9 million and profit before tax of DKK 71.4 million. At the end 3Q22, EuroEnergy had 1.4GW of new green energy projects under construction in nine countries.
Sweco designed the first hydrogen plant in Helene, Finland
Sweco prepared the basic design for the planned 3H2 - Helsinki Hydrogen Hub, located in Vuosaari, Helen, with the help of a pilot project aimed at hydrogen production. The new hydrogen hub strives to develop the necessary skills and knowledge to meet the needs of large-scale Power-to-X production. When implemented, the project will reduce CO2 emissions from transportation and district heating production by up to 70,000 tonnes over the plant's 20-year lifetime. 3H2 - Helsinki Hydrogen Hub is the first project of its kind, combining zero emissions and four uses of hydrogen: electricity, transportation, heating and energy storage. The plant is unique in its ability to convert hydrogen into electricity with the help of fuel cells and to deliver electricity to the grid when the power supply is low.
Green NGOs sue Finnish government over carbon neutrality goals
The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation and Greenpeace claims the Finnish Government has failed to reach its carbon neutrality target and will be taking the issue to the Supreme Administrative Court. The NGOs argue that the Government has not fulfilled its binding obligations regarding the Climate Change Act and the pursuit of carbon neutrality by 2035 in light of new data. A report published in October revealed that forests in Finland are no longer sufficient in removing carbon. This would be Finland’s first climate trial if the court takes up the case. Instead, the land-use sector has for the first time turned into a net emitter of greenhouse gases. Deforestation has in recent years increased and forests are growing more slowly than previously expected. The environmental organisations have decided to act proactively and not wait for the new numbers to be published in December by Statistics Finland and the Natural Resources Institute Finland.
ClimateOS SaaS platform to help city planners transform climate ambition into executable and trackable climate action plans
Swedish climate technology company ClimateView, has upgraded its ClimateOS SaaS platform with new software called “Impact Intelligence” to help city planners transform climate ambition into executable and trackable climate action plans. To receive public or private money, cities need to be able to show both the decarbonization and economic impact these investments will have. The new Impact Intelligence module gives cities the tools to calculate and visualize a transition’s implementation and operational costs. It can also measure the potential carbon reduction and associated co-benefits, such as public health benefits and job creation. If a small city like Helsinborg, with a population of 115,000 people, shifted 15% of its vehicle kilometers to walking and cycling, the total economic benefit would amount to EUR 159 million from now to 2030, according to ClimateView.
What we're reading
- The green tech tussle where America has cash and Europe has rules (Financial Times)
- EU unveils plan to slash waste by nearly a fifth by 2030 (Financial Times)
About Nordic Green News
The Nordic countries are some of the most dynamic and successful economies in the world. They are also leaders in sustainability, from renewable energy, biofuels, carbon capture and storage and the hydrogen economy, circular economy business models and battery development, the Nordics are pioneers in policy design, technology development and consumer uptake. Mundus Nordic Green News is covering this transition for the international community. Every day we curate the stories of most relevance to international businesspeople and policy experts from the flow of news. Mundus Nordic Green Indices summarise the meta-data from our daily coverage to enable easy tracking of trends. We supplement these with our own opinion pieces and commentary.
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