26 January 2022
Finnish state-owned Fortum’s carbon neutrality doesn't stand up to scrutiny
In an extensive report, environmental organisations compared the climate targets of the largest European energy companies with the recommendations of the International Energy Agency (IEA). The results showed that the Finnish state-owned Fortum’s goal of being carbon neutral does not meet the latest criteria of the IEA, and concluded that Fortum performed as poorly as Eastern European companies. According to the IEA, energy companies should, among other things, phase out the use of coal in industrialized countries by 2030 and the use of natural gas by 2035. In developing countries, coal and gas will be phased out by 2040. However, Fortum plans to run a coal-fired power plant in Europe until 2038, and no closure dates have been set for some of Fortum's coal-fired power plants in Russia.“The purpose of the report is to reveal the net zero targets that companies have harnessed mainly as marketing tools. We wanted to use the data to show what the content of the goals really is”, said climate and energy expert Kaarina Kolle from the European Climate Foundation.
Sales of biogas to hauliers skyrocketing in Sweden
During 2021, Swedish company Svensk Biogas increased sales to the haulage segment of its locally produced biogas by 145% compared to 2020. As a locally produced product, the price can be kept at a low and stable level and customers do not have to depend on volatile fossil fuel prices. The demand for biogas on the market is high, according to Erik Nordell, Product Manager for LBG (Liquified Biogas) at Tekniska verken in Linköping. Tekniska verken manufactures and compresses the biogas in liquid and compressed form, which Svensk Biogas then delivers to the transport and industrial sector. For long-distance heavy transport that wants to switch to fossil-free, there are not many sustainable alternatives. The biogas at our filling stations is currently about 30-35% cheaper than diesel, at the same time as it is completely renewable.LBG is a solution that is available here and now at an attractive price for heavy trucks.
TT
European Energy secures funding for Polish projects
Denmark’s European Energy has secured financing of DKK 398 million for five Polish wind farms with a total capacity of 45 GW. “With our first project financing at five wind farms we have secured another milestone in Poland and look forward to repeating this kind of successful financing in the future, as we have a significant pipeline of wind and solar assets secured throughout Poland”, said Jens-Peter Zink, Executive Vice President of European Energy.
Norway leads the way with hydrogen ferries
The Norwegian Public Roads Administration has signed a NOK 4.9 billion contract with Torghatten Nord to operate hydrogen ferries on the Bodø-Røst-Værøy-Moskenes connection. The contract that has been signed is the second in Norway and the new ferries will increase the capacity for passengers by 60%, cars by 40% and reduce annual CO2 emissions by 26,500 tonnes. The new ferries will be put into operation from 1 October 2025.
Norwegian Hydrogen Forum
Malmö invests in a more optimised and flexible energy system
To achieve the goal of reducing the city’s emissions by 70% by 2030, the City of Malmö has chosen to apply to participate in the INPROOF project. The work takes place in close collaboration with Swedish business actors, including E.ON, UNIPER and IVL Swedish Environmental Institute. Here, the consequences of collaboration and integration of local energy infrastructures in electricity, gas and district heating will be analysed. The results of these evaluations are expected to lead to the development of efficient energy models for locally produced and renewable energy.
Malmö is applying to participate in an international hydrogen project
In order to reduce Malmö’s emissions of greenhouse gases, Malmö is applying to participate in the cross-border GREATER4H project, led by STRING. The project’s goal is to create conditions for filling stations for hydrogen along the route between Hamburg and Oslo. The result of Malmö’s participation in the project is expected to be an increase in the region’s access to hydrogen and hydrogen-powered vehicles. The expansion of hydrogen as a fuel is also expected to have positive consequences for the city’s environment and climate.
Press release
Metacon signs EPC partnership agreement with GISAB in electrolysis
Since 2021, Metacon has had its own business in the sale of turnkey electrolysis plants to the green hydrogen market in collaboration with experienced partners and subcontractors. Following the sale of an electrolysis plant to Uppvidinge Vätgas, Swedish GISAB (part of Jernbro) will be Metacon’s partner in installation, commissioning and service. After a period of mutual evaluation and analysis of the electrolysis market for green hydrogen, Metacon and GISAB have decided to formalise the collaboration and work exclusively with each other in the Nordic region. The parties will also cooperate from case to case in other markets outside the Nordic region.
Press release
Green energy helps Seco reach its emission targets nine years ahead of schedule
A combination of green electricity and renewable energy certificates in the US and India has enabled Seco to reach its 2030 emissions targets a full nine years in advance. Studies show that the plant in Reynoldsville, USA accounts for about 10% of Seco’s global electricity needs and 19% of its impact on climate. “We bought REC (Renewable Energy Certificates), which means that we ensure that our electricity does not come from fossil fuels. In this way, we reduce our carbon footprint”, said Eric Sirianni, Generic Sourcing at Seco in Reynoldsville. Due to a lack of green alternatives, Seco India purchased RECs to compensate for their emissions from using coal power. “We are currently using some solar energy, and we are also investigating the possibilities for wind power so that we can produce more clean energy.We have to work with hybrid solutions and when the supply of green energy increases, the price will fall”, said Atul Mohkhedkar, General Manager of Production at Seco India.
What we’re reading
- LG battery division seeks global dominance after blockbuster IPO (Financial Times)
- John Kerry backs natural gas as a transition fuel (Politico)
About Mundus 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.