28 March 2023
Today's Top Nordic Green News:
- World's largest merchant battery system inaugurated in Texas by Finnish Wärtsilä and Eolian
- Scandinavian Biogas plans to build SEK 600-700 million biogas plant in Sweden
- Norwegian Vårgrøn and Flotation Energy to develop 1.9 GW floating offshore wind in Scotland
- EU Energy Council under the leadership of Ebba Busch to adopt guidelines for gas market package and electricity market design
- SSAB launches SSAB Zero, a new fossil-free steel
World's largest merchant battery system inaugurated in Texas by Finnish Wärtsilä and Eolian
Finnish energy technology company Wärtsilä and Californian energy investor Eolian have launched what they claim is the world's largest merchant battery system in South Texas. The Madero and Ignacio energy storage plants have a combined capacity of 200 MW and 429 MWh and can operate continuously for several hours. They will be fully integrated into the Electric Reliability Council of Texas market. The dual project is also the first to use the Investment Tax Credit for standalone utility-scale energy storage systems, which was part of the Inflation Reduction Act passed in 2022.
Scandinavian Biogas plans to build SEK 600-700 million biogas plant in Sweden
Swedish company Scandinavian Biogas has announced plans to build a biogas plant in Kalmar County, Sweden, which will produce fossil-free fuel equivalent to the carbon dioxide emitted by 12,000 cars. The plant will produce liquid and climate-neutral biogas that will reduce carbon dioxide emissions and prevent manure from polluting the Baltic Sea. The company aims to use the biogas in heavy trucks as it is not yet usable in passenger cars. The plant is a significant investment of SEK 600-700 million and will help contribute to Sweden’s ambitions of being fossil-free by 2030.
Norwegian Vårgrøn and Flotation Energy to develop 1.9 GW floating offshore wind in Scotland
Norway’s Vårgrøn and Flotation Energy have been granted land by Crown Estate Scotland to develop up to 1.9 GW of floating offshore wind power across two projects, Green Volt and Cenos, which will contribute to the electrification and decarbonisation of oil and gas platforms. The offshore wind farms are expected to start generating power by 2027-2028 and cut emissions by 3 million tonnes of CO2 per year. The projects will also support the commercialisation of floating offshore wind technology and build a local supply chain for floating offshore wind centred around the North Sea.
EU Energy Council under the leadership of Ebba Busch to adopt guidelines for gas market package and electricity market design
The EU Energy Council, led by the Swedish Minister for Energy, Business and Industry, Ebba Busch (KD), will gather on 28 March to adopt a general guideline on the gas market package, aimed at increasing the use of renewable and low-carbon gases in the EU's energy system and reducing the use of natural gas. The Council will also discuss the revision of the EU's electricity market design, the impact of high gas prices on electricity prices, and the EU Commission's proposal to extend the regulation on coordinating measures for gas consumption reduction. Finally, the EU Commission will provide information on preparations for the winter of 2023/2024.
SSAB launches SSAB Zero, a new fossil-free steel
Swedish SSAB has launched SSAB Zero, a new fossil-free steel produced from recycled steel and fossil-free energy. The steel will be commercially available from 2Q23 and marks the company's comprehensive offering of steel without fossil CO2 emissions. SSAB Zero is expected to deliver 40,000 tonnes in 2023, increasing to 100,000 tonnes by 2025. The quality and product properties are the same as SSAB's regular steel. In 2021, SSAB delivered the world's first fossil-free steel to the Volvo Group, and in 2022 delivered 500 tonnes of fossil-free steel to strategic customers.
Ørsted, Simply Blue Group and Subsea7 win bid to build 100 MW floating offshore wind project in Scotland
Danish energy company Ørsted, in partnership with Simply Blue Group and Subsea7, has been granted permission to build a 100 MW floating offshore wind project called Salamander off the coast of Peterhead in North East Scotland. The project is part of Scotwind, which is a leasing round that allows companies to bid for seabed land to develop renewable energy projects. Salamander is considered a "stepping stone" project aimed at supporting innovative and renewable supply chains in Scotland and promoting the full-scale commercial rollout of floating wind technology. Last year, Ørsted won a tender for the 1 GW Stromar floating offshore wind project off the Scottish coast.
Alternative fuel strategy with recharging stations across Europe - Swedish minister responds positively
The Council of the EU recently announced a provisional political agreement with the European Parliament for more recharging and refuelling stations across Europe as part of its alternative fuel infrastructure. More recharging and refuelling stations for alternative fuels are to be deployed “in the coming years” across Europe, enabling the transport sector to significantly reduce its carbon footprint. The Swedish Minister for Infrastructure and Housing, Andreas Carlson (KD), commented that the agreement will send a clear signal to citizens and other stakeholders that user-friendly recharging infrastructure and refuelling stations for alternative fuels, such as hydrogen, will be installed throughout the EU. Carlson also said that this means that more public recharging capacity will be available on the streets in urban areas, as well as along the motorways. Citizens will no longer have a reason to feel anxious about finding charging and refuelling stations to their electric or fuel-cell cars.
Orrön Energy expands to UK and secures grid connections for solar and battery storage projects
Sweden’s Orrön Energy has expanded into the UK and secured access to electricity grid connections, allowing the company to start solar energy and battery storage projects at an early stage. The move is expected to create long-term growth opportunities that complement the company's short-term growth opportunities in the Nordic portfolio. The CEO of Orrön Energy, Daniel Fitzgerald, sees great opportunities in entering early-stage and proprietary projects in the UK.
Norwegian shipping company to deploy self-driving electric ferry in Stockholm
Norwegian shipping company Torghatten plans to launch a self-driving electric ferry between Södermalm and Kungsholmen in Stockholm, hoping to attract more passengers than the now defunct shuttle boat line 85 operated by SL. The ferry is to make four departures from each side per hour, with the journey across Riddarfjärden taking just under six minutes. A driver will accompany the ferry in the initial phase, with plans for the boat to run unmanned once it has been approved by the Swedish Maritime Administration (Sw Sjöfartsverket).
European Energy selects Stiesdal for 3 MW electrolyzer at hydrogen production facility
Danish climate technology company Stiesdal will supply European Energy with its first 3 MW electrolyzer for a hydrogen production facility in Maade, Esbjerg, Denmark. The facility will have a total capacity of 12 MW and the supplied electrolyzer will be able to produce around 270 tonnes of hydrogen annually when put into operation. The electrolyzer is based on conventional alkaline electrolysis with a novel, integrated design and is suited for low-cost industrial manufacturing. The facility will begin operation in 2023.
Press Release, EnergiWatch, EnergyIslandNews
What we're reading
- European battery makers welcome EU response to US subsidies (Financial Times)
- US and Japan strike trade deal on critical minerals for electric car batteries (Financial Times)
- Brookfield seals deal for Origin buyout and $20 billion renewables splurge (RenewEconomy)
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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