- We need to collaborate in completely new areas
- We must start preparing ourselves for a much more exponential growth within these new green industries, which requires us to think completely differently and collaborate in entirely new areas, says Mats Winther Maltby from NHO Agder regarding collaboration towards zero emissions. Innovation, collaboration, and critical raw materials were some of the topics discussed during this year's Eyde Day.
I find it incredibly exciting to see 3B Fibreglass having a breakthrough in the recycling of wind turbine blades, where they managed to recycle 2 tons of glass fiber from previous products. The fact that they have succeeded in their tests there opens up new opportunities for a business in Agder to be part of a circular value chain, says Mats Winther Maltby from NHO Agder.
Here you can see the recording of the Eyde Day:
Track A_ Critical raw materials
Track B_ Digitalization and AI
Track B_ Dekarbonization and CSS
World in Rapid Change
The world is undergoing rapid change and demands action. How do we address multiple challenges simultaneously? This was discussed during this year's Eyde Day at Rosfjord Hotel in Lyngdal on November 29th. The participants' response was that both skills development, networking, and collaboration are crucial factors. And gaining insights into each other's challenges.
- Perhaps my highlight today is gaining more insight into the various companies in the Eyde Cluster, which are essential for Norway to achieve its goal of raw material production, and especially the EU's goal of increasing the supply of critical raw materials. And not least the export opportunities that exist for this industry. We at Innovation Norway want to help them reach their export goals, says EU Adviser at Innovation Norway, Edel Bertine Dirdal.
Ensure that they apply for support
She also wants to inform the companies about the various grant programs and loan schemes offered by Innovation Norway, which can assist in achieving scaling and growth at a faster pace.
- Especially ensuring that they do not use funds obtained from banks and other financial institutions for R&D projects, so we can relieve them and ensure that they apply for the support programs provided by the government support system, she emphasizes.
- We can challenge
Eyde Y also shared their reflections and challenged us on what all this means for the process industry.
- We can be part of challenging the companies and question what is already considered normal. We can propose solutions, be creative, and think innovatively. We are still so new in the industry that we are allowed to bring some out-of-the-box thinking, says Tonje Jakobsen from Alcoa, who is part of Eyde Y - the think tank for the younger generation in the Eyde Cluster.
Industry 5.0
The EU Commission also explained how the EU presents the framework for the future through its new industrial strategy: Industry 5.0 – Human Centric, Resilient, and Sustainable Industry.
We were also introduced to the Stockholm Resilience Centre's tool for operating within the limits of nature.
Lars Petter Maltby provided an overview of the recently presented expert report on Norway's transition to low emissions by 2050.
What can AI do for us?
Digitalization is crucial to drive the green transition, and the use of artificial intelligence has escalated now that we can chat with AI in Norwegian. We heard about the experiences of GE Healthcare and Elkem with the use of AI and new technology, as well as how Sintef employs AI in its operations.
- I believe knowledge sharing is important, and I think it's crucial that we assist each other in generating new ideas. It's important that we can share experiences, both successes and failures, so that everyone doesn't have to reinvent the wheel, says Gunnar Hansen from Elkem.
Critical Raw Materials
Aud Wærnes from Sintef presented results from 8 years of research in SFI Metal Production, followed by a live podcast on critical raw materials, featuring Aud Wærnes and Ådne Tveit from the startup Refacture.
Listen here:
Decarbonization of the Industry, CCS
CO2 remains the industry's challenge after other greenhouse gases have largely been eliminated. Eramet and Returkraft explained how they actively address this issue, and Zero provided an overview of the broader atmospheric context. The Eyde Cluster presented a new offering of assistance to businesses.
Circular Value Chains
Resources are limited, and the traditional extraction methods are unsustainable. Ron Weerdmester, who leads the EU's initiative on circular hubs, joined digitally from Chemelot. Morrow and 3B shared insights into how they approach circular practices in their businesses, and the Eyde Cluster presented its new project, CIRCI.
Additionally, 9-year-old Anne Skagestad straightforwardly explained what a circular economy means to her:
Agder – Center for Norwegian Industrial Development. High ambitions. Do we have enough power?
Members of the electricity price committee, Håkon Thaule (Thema Consulting), and Eramet's Kåre Bjarte Bjelland shed light on the future power situation. The county municipality provided information on its strategic focus on industry.
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