The Flight to America Did Not Turn Out as Planned Comment: They fled Norwegian tax policies and a lack of predictability in the industrial policy. Those who left for the US got the worst of it. It turns out the grass wasn't greener on the other side of the Atlantic.
Critical of the Swedish Government’s Lack of Investment in the Iron Ore Line The mayor of the Northern Swedish municipality Boden believes the Swedish Government is not taking the further construction of the Iron Ore Line seriously. Sweden recently presented several measures for improving the vital railway but is criticized for not doing enough.
Sweden Gives Green Light to Several Railway Projects in the North The Swedish government is giving the green light to start constructing an important railway line in Northern Sweden. In addition, several projects to improve the capacity of the Iron Ore Line are underway. At the same time, the Norwegian Labor Party is proposing the construction of the Northern Norway line.
When Green Initiatives Kick the Legs Out From Under Local Businesses Comment: The bankrupt estates of a couple of the largest and most unsuccessful green industrial ventures in the north are barely enough for a leftover dinner. The accounts of local suppliers are already dripping with blood.
Northvolt Battery Files For Reorganization in The US To avoid bankruptcy, the troubled battery manufacturer Northvolt is filing for reorganization and bankruptcy protection in the US, in a so-called Chapter 11 process.In addition, CEO and founder Peter Carlsson is stepping down with immediate effect.
TECO 2030 Subsidiary Bankrupt The bankruptcy of the TECO 2030 ASA subsidiary is not to impact the company's establishments in Narvik, Northern Norway. Measures are now taken to save the rest of the company, says CEO Tore Enger.
The Green Pipe Dreams Torn Asunder by an Arctic Storm Comment: The Swedish battery company Northvolt is heading toward bankruptcy. In that case, it would be a gigantic setback for the European and Arctic investment in the green shift. In addition, it would be the most expensive adult education of all time.
Freyr Stops Battery Production and Lays Off Employees The battery company Freyr must lay off several employees and make "significant downsizing." The production of battery cells in Mo i Rana is now put on hold.
Norway's MFA on All the Nordics in NATO: "The Significance Hasn't Quite Hit Us Yet" Tromsø (High North News): With the new Nordic security policy community and close defense cooperation follows great opportunities for more interaction between Norway, Finland and Sweden also in other areas of society. "We have to learn how to take advantage of this," says Norwegian MFA Espen Barth Eide.
The Sami Council Is Considering Legal Action in the Melkøya Case The Norwegian state's decision to electrify the island of Melkøya may end up in court. The Sami Parliament Council will ask for extended authorization to consider legal action in the case of the electrification of the LNG plant in Finnmark, Northern Norway.
Norway Wants Greater State Ownership of the Energy Supply on Svalbard Norwegian PM Jonas Gahr Støre (Labor) revealed that the government suggests NOK 125 million in financial electricity support to Longyearbyen in a revised state budget. Støre also reports that the state will claim greater ownership of the energy supply on Svalbard. "We want Norwegian ownership of important infrastructure and real estate."
Infrastructure for Northern Sweden's Green Shift: Planning Boden-Luleå Double Track The Swedish Transport Administration has secured funds to develop railway plans for a double track between Boden and Luleå in Northern Sweden. The funding for the construction itself has not yet been secured. Still, the Transport Administration is now speeding up the work, which will be important to the major industrial projects planned in the region.
A Nuclear Power Renaissance? Reykjavik (High North News): Nuclear power as an energy source is heading for the Arctic. "There is a nuclear power renaissance in the US. The challenge is that nuclear energy is associated with weapons," says Senior Researcher Gwen Holdman at the Alaska Center for Energy and Power.
Swedish Steel Company Must Import Iron Ore From Abroad Instead of Neighboring Town Disagreements about the Swedish Iron Ore Line's capacity have led the steel company H2 Green Steel, which wants to produce green steel in Northern Sweden, to import iron ore from Canada and Brazil.
Major Agreement for Biogas in Northern Norway Rå BioPark and Barents NaturGass have entered into an agreement on the sales and distribution of biogas of a value of NOK 1,2 billion. "A milestone for the Northern Norwegian business sector and an important contribution to the green shift in the north," says the General Manager of Rå Biopark.
A Curious Procession of Speculators and Socialists Wanting American Conditions (Commentary) Just as the energy debate was about to move into a somewhat calmer phase, Norwegian socialists throw themselves into the arms of President Joe Biden and wish for American conditions in Norway.
Want to Use Wind to Lower Emissions in Shipping “Increased use of wind-assisted propulsion at sea has the potential to reduce climate gases and use of heavy-fuel oil”, says Researcher Ning Lin at Nord University.
Rana Gruber Goes Electric, CO2 Free by 2025 Electrification shall contribute to Rana Gruber’s reaching its goal of being CO2 free by 2025, as the first iron ore mine in the whole world.
Swedish Mining Company LKAB With Major Scale Investment in Fossil-Free Production LKAB launches its new strategy. “This is the biggest transition in the company’s 130-year-old history and may become the largest ever industrial investment in Sweden”, says CEO Jan Moström.
The Coast Is Ready for Change - Perhaps Now Is a Better Time Than Any? Op-ed: Given our politicians firm reaction to the pandemic, it seems timely to wonder if the same impressive determination could be used to tackle the climate crisis, which after all represents an even more serious threat than the current pandemic. By Jan-Gunnar Winther and Ida Folkestad Soltvedt at Center for the ocean and the Arctic.
