Nordic Green News – 28 August, 2020

Political heavyweights argue for investment in Norwegian CCS

The leaders of Norway’s business organization, NHO, and union movement, LO, along with the leaders of Norsk Oil & Gas, and Norsk Industri, have declared their support for the Norcem cement factory and Fortum Oslo Varme CCS projects. They argue that the discussion in Norway has been whether this is too costly for the state of Norway since such ‘first in kind’ projects need state support. But renewable energy such as solar and wind also needed the state to take some of the risk in the first years, before costs fell drastically. They conclude that “we will see a similar process for CO2 capture and storage, and Norway is in a completely unique position to make it happen.”

 

Norway receives ‘epic fail’ on its circular economy

The organisations Circular Norway, Virke and Skift released a report that raises the alarm about Norwegians' use of resources and recycling. According to the report, even though Norwegians do recycle large proportions of waste from metal, plastic, glass, paper and food most of Norway's waste is produced abroad through the way products are produced. The report finds that while 8.6% of the world's resources find their way back into new production, resource use in Norway is as low as 2.4%.

 

Minister of Climate and Environment Sveinung Rotevatn is not happy that Norway is doing so badly. “Of course, we want a much larger part of the materials we use to be recycled and reused so that they go into a cycle.” He explains that this is the reason why the government has now started a major effort to create a national strategy for the circular economy. The consultation deadline for the first circular economy strategy is 1 September, with the strategy to be published in December.

 

Howver, Rotevatn believes that the analysis is made in such a way that Norway comes out worse than what he believes Norway deserves. “We are in a period of great construction activity in Norway. Roads, railways, buildings and other infrastructure require large amounts of materials. It will take many, many years before these materials end up as waste that can be utilized through reuse and recycling. However, this does not mean that we can not become much better at using resources in, for example, buildings that are demolished.” Norsk Industri also disputes the methodology used in the analysis, along similar lines as the Minister. 

 

Stora Enso is building a pilot plant for bio-based packaging foam

Bio-based foam is renewable and recyclable. It can be used in packaging to replace oil-based polymeric foam which is widely used today. Stora Enso, the Finnish pulp and paper heavyweight, is to build a pilot plant for the production of Cellufoam, a lightweight, fibre-based foam material for protective packaging material and shock absorption for fragile products such as consumer electronics. The plant will be located at Stora Enso Fors mill in Sweden.

 

Huawei is investing heavily in solar energy in Sweden

Huawei is making a major investment in solar energy technology in the Swedish market, together with a number of partners, such as the innovative solar cell company GruppSol, and the solar cell panel Sverigepanelen. Huawei will market complete solutions on the Swedish market, supplying inverters, Huawei as well as battery solutions for villas.

 

Danish biogas solutions promoted internationally

Food & Bio Cluster Denmark is working on a new publication to spread knowledge about Danish biogas companies abroad. The new publication, "Biogas Production - Insights and Experiences from the Danish Biogas Sector", has been published in collaboration with the Danish Energy Agency and a number of companies and research institutions. More than 50 Danish companies have described their competencies and areas of expertise in the publication, which is aimed at project developers, farmers, gas companies, public organizations and other biogas stakeholders abroad. The publication also describes how biogas solutions can play a green role in producing renewable energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and recycling nutrients from agriculture and urban waste. 

 

Savosolar reports a solid first half

Savosolar Oyj, a Finnish company, with technology that aims to provide solar thermal energy at the lowest energy cost reported its first half results, describing sales and earnings as developing positively. Sales revenues were €2.0m, and the final EBIT result was -€1.7m. Savosolar is currently developing projects in France and Germany.

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