Nordic Green News - 7 August, 2020

Northvolt secure additional SEK 14 billion

The Swedish battery manufacturer Northvolt has managed to secure part of its financing to build a battery factory in Skellefteå, among other things. Whereas the initial plan was to raise around SEK 40 billion, the target was later raised further, but Northvolt CEO Peter Carlsson announced on Wednesday that the company had received the equivalent of SEK 14 billion in the form of loans from a number of major banks. In total, Northvolt has raised more than SEK 26 billion in various forms of financing. “The momentum for electrification has never been stronger. Our customers need large volumes of high-quality batteries with a low carbon footprint, and Europe must build a fully developed value chain to meet them,” said Peter Carlsson in a comment. Denmark’s PFA and Danica Pension are amongst the investors.

 

Battery recycling is simplified via new method

Researchers at Stockholm University have developed a new method for recycling old batteries, providing better and cheaper rechargeable hydride (NiMH) batteries. The new recycling uses mechanical washing and separation of reusable electrode material and corrosion products from old used electrode materials. The recycled material can be used directly in new batteries.

 

Vestas first to reach a capacity of 100 gigawatts in active wind turbines

In a press release, the company states, "Achieving 100 gigawatts of wind turbines in operation is both proof of Vestas' leading position in wind power solutions and the speed with which the installed capacity for wind power and renewable energy is growing in the global energy system".

 

Denmark’s Green Hydrogen aspires to be the next Vestas

The relatively unknown Danish company, Green Hydrogen, from Kolding has recently received a double-digit million injection from its owners and is moving head office and production so that the company can scale rapidly. Green Hydrogen aims to increase its revenue  from production of electrolysers by several hundred percent a year, a copying other Danish successes, like Universal Robots and Vestas. Nordic Alpha Partners is one of the investors.

 

Ørsted part of consortium in offshore wind-powered hydrogen project in Germany

Ten companies have come together to develop a consortium to promote the Westkuste100 hydrogen project, which has received a go-ahead and funding approval from German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy. The project will be Germany’s first hydrogen project included in its “real-world laboratories fostering the energy transition” program. The initial project phase will run for five years, seeing the development of a 30MW electrolyser which will produce green hydrogen from offshore wind energy and provide information on the operation, maintenance, control, and grid compatibility of the equipment.

 

Norwegian-Danish hydrogen company receives US development support

Norwegian-Danish hydrogen company, Nel has been granted USD 4.4 million in development aid through the U.S. Department of Energy in order to lower the cost of hydrogen production.

 

Sustainable curtains made from plastic sea-waste

Luxaflex presents a new collection of curtains made from 50 percent recycled plastic from the world's oceans. The sustainable collection includes the long fabric curtains Sea and the roller blinds Sea-Tex, which are inspired by the gardens and beaches along the Pacific coast of Central America, where the plastic is collected from

 

Helsinki rents out old furniture to promote ergonomic telecommuting and circular economy

The City of Helsinki is selling used ergonomic desk furniture at an online auction - to make everyday life easier for the teleworker. Thousands of pieces of used office furniture will be sold through the public sector auction service during the month of August, according to a press release by the Urban Environment Sector.

---