Climate Wars, Nordic Style

Dear Reader,

The tensions between climate action and humanity’s desire for a stable livelihood were on full display across the Nordics this week. Often it seems as if it’s two steps forward and one back, as some projects surge forward, whilst resistance simmers beneath the surface. The Nordics need to confront these tensions, just like the rest of the world.??

As reported in yesterday’s Nordic Green News, this week saw ?rsted award a contract to SLB Capturi to develop CCS technology. The deal builds on the respective companies’ carbon capture 2021 agreement with 微软 , and shows Denmark’s continued policy incentives for commercially significant carbon schemes. It is Aker Carbon Capture's fourth major contract, and the largest award that they have received so far, and is part of a project valued at DKK 8 billion (USD 1.2 billion) that ?rsted has secured with the Danish Energy Agency. The DEA selected ?rsted’s bid over those of the Aalborg Portland A/S cement factory and of Vestforbr?nding , Denmark's largest waste management company which is owned by 19 of Zealand’s municipalities.

Meanwhile, citizen groups from all sides are keeping the pressure on Danish lawmakers’ efforts towards a green transition. While locals are protesting infrastructure projects like the H?rvej motorway and Copenhagen airport by glueing themselves to the asphalt, illegal trucker protests have found a way to manifest on the German border and up in Helsing?r, expressing industry resistance to drafted tax hikes on fossil fuelled freight transport.

Leaving Denmark, one doesn’t even make it to Sweden before meeting the next flash point. In the Kattegat straits that separate the two countries, the Swedish government has just announced the approval of two wind projects. Despite the projects being offshore, away from local communities the decision produced an immediate political response as the Sweden Democrats flashed red, warning that they had not been consulted and calling the Government naive about wind power. Wind therefore became a new issue in the internal warring going on inside Sweden’s government, following on just a few days after the Government had decided to slash Sweden’s use of biofuels (for more on this see the Mundus Monthly Brief).?

Meanwhile, in Finland, climate action is also a key issue. Finland held an election on 2 April, but a new government has still not formed. The presumptive prime minister Petteri Orpo says he will not compromise on Finland’s climate target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2035. But, his chosen coalition partner, the Finns Party is not excited by this, particularly in the light of recent news that Finland’s forest carbon sinks were not as extensive as thought, making the 2035 target seem even stretchier. Negotiators are now wondering whether the EU will allow them longer to deliver carbon cuts? The request seems a little odd, given that it is only weeks since Finland agreed to deliver a 50% reduction under the EUs Effort Sharing Regulation.?

Despite the challenge of hitting its carbon targets, Finland is doing well when it comes to energy. The country received praise from the IEA for its energy policy, and with the new Olkiluoto 3 nuclear reactor now commissioned, the Finnish Energy Industry Association declared the electricity crisis resolved.?

The week’s biggest commercial story was undoubtedly the announcement from Germany that it would provide Northvolt with billions in subsidies. Meanwhile, there were other significant announcements, including from an ABB consortium that wants to build large-scale hydrogen production and the expansion of electric cable production.

The Top 10 Nordic Green News stories for Week 18

1. Lower biofuels reduction obligation “helps families” but not green business in Sweden
2. German government backs Northvolt with billions in support for battery factory?
3. US power giant wants to build nuclear power site in Sweden by 2030
4. Norwegian industry minister advocates new energy policy, emphasising lower electricity prices
5. Copenhagen aims to eliminate petrol and diesel cars by 2030, transitioning to hydrogen and electric vehicles
6. NKT invests in new cable tower in Karlskrona factory in Sweden
7. 阿西布朗勃法瑞公司（ABB） teams up with Lhyfe and Skyborn Renewables to establish large-scale renewable hydrogen production facility in Sweden
8. Fredrikstad kommune strengthens position as Norway's circular capital through collaboration with NCCE
9. Aker Horizons and VNG AG sign LOI for green ammonia delivery from Norway to Germany
10. German-Danish project aims to establish hydrogen pipeline and offshore network connection

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What we’re reading - our favourite articles from global media last week

• EU will miss its ‘green’ hydrogen targets, executives say (Financial Times)
• Nord Stream cost Germany dearly, wind power now priority in Baltic Sea – German foreign minister (Clean Energy Wire)
• Germany plans to subsidise power-hungry industries (Financial Times)
• BNP Paribas to stop funding new gas projects as litigation risk mounts (Financial Times)
• WA plans huge switch to solar and storage as part of stunning 50GW green energy boom (RenewEconomy
• Indonesia emerges as world’s second-largest cobalt producer (Financial Times)
• Essar ignites ￡30bn plan to decarbonise UK’s north-west (FDI Intelligence)