Competitors develop technology in the same room

Sulla, Rogaland: Managing Director Ada Jakbosen of the Maritime Cleantech (MC) cluster organization moves from group room to group room listening and learning. MCT has called for its annual innovation gathering.

After a joint meeting with background and inspiration, the participants were divided into four groups. There they will discuss, create and discuss their ideas for projects, products or concepts that will help solve the problem of shipping emissions – in one or more ways.

“Many” projects and products have come out of previous groups, says Austin Houghlin, MCT’s director of innovation. It mentions, among others, the all-electric speedboat “Medstraum” and the ocean freighter, Ocean Charger. The latter is still in the project and development phase.

If you go back even further in history, more than 10 years, the charging solution for the Ampere battery gateway is also the product of group meetings and discussions across company boundaries.

network

New projects are not the only gain, says Ada Jacobsen. Among other things, it indicates how the things that ideas put forward can be realized and useful in other contexts. But most important is communication.

– When we bring together the green marine industry for our annual ideas gathering – it is not a chat club, said Siri Kindem, Director of Renewables at Equinor, in her opening remarks. “We’re meeting here to work on solution ideas,” Jacobsen says.

It especially highlights the uniqueness of having so many people competing every day.

– This is the strength of our methodology. We bring together, connect, challenge and foster new collaborations. “This is how we invent future charging solutions,” says Jacobsen.

Lars Endre Gemstad, Deputy Managing Director of Brødrene Aa, nodded in agreement.

– Ideas, inspiration and connections in all areas are most important, says Gemstad.

Winners

Members were divided into groups on the following topics:

• Fuel of the future
• Zero-emission operations for offshore wind
• Energy efficiency and autonomy in new buildings
• Energy efficiency and modernization

For each group, representatives of potential customers Wilhelmsen, Source Galileo, Equinor, and Columbus prepared some versions. Ideas were discussed, put on paper, evaluated, and categorized. From each group, one project was selected as the “best”.

MCT will organise, carefully discuss and describe, shake the seeds and see what can grow, says innovation director Øystein Höglin.

– We will combine this with everything else we are already working on in terms of projects and ideas. The goal is to go the extra mile, produce pilots, test them, and scale them up, Houghlin says.

Ada Jacobsen sums up by saying that there may be a real Colombian egg among the ideas. It was reiterated that it is more urgent than ever for the marine industry if Norwegian environments are to remain far ahead of green technology.

Risk mitigation

– She says: – We take seriously the enhanced strategies now coming in the European Union and the International Maritime Organization, and we will provide the technologies needed to achieve ambitious emissions reduction targets at the international level.

Maritime Cleantech is mainly funded by about 150 member companies, but with a small government contribution to the operation. The organization helps members find funds for projects.

– We contribute to mitigating risks by establishing cooperation and identifying relevant partial financing. In recent years, Maritime Cleantech has received more than NOK 700 million from, among others, the EU Innovation Program for various technological initiatives in the Norwegian maritime industry, says Jacobsen.

This has greatly contributed to Norway becoming the global laboratory and leader in developing green technology in the field of shipping. This means that today you can travel emission-free using speedboats, and you can travel using a hydrogen-powered ferry. She points out that a few years ago, all of this would have been unimaginable.

Financing is one of the biggest challenges facing the maritime industry. Who will pay the bill?

a company₂– Money and CFDs

– Many of our member companies have already made significant investments in climate-friendly ships and new technology. They demand predictable framework conditions for the green transition, in which the state provides the tools to reduce risks and create inclusive value chains for new energy companies. Income from CO₂-Procurement of fees and allowances should be used to promote the green marine transition. Jacobsen says contracts for difference are a related tool.

She warns against Norway becoming merely an experimental country.

We will continue to experiment with new technology, but we must find a comprehensive approach and make sure we can scale. Jacobsen says politicians need to be tougher, urging them to “take it easy” if Norway does not want to lose its lead.

– There will be tougher competition from EU countries and the rest of the world. The EU must return the quota money to shipping. Norway should also do so, Jacobsen says.

During the Arendalsuka conference, the Minister of Climate and Environment answered questions. He said Parliament had ordered the government to come up with a proposal for contracts for difference, promising that Norway’s share of quota income from the EU ETS should benefit from shipping.

-There are several ways to do this. We can either create a fund, or a CO₂– The financing that the shipping association wants, or the same amount enters the treasury and comes out again and is distributed to shipping. Eddy said Enova could be one tool.