– We intend to put a windmill on the lawn here, says Øyvind Svendsen.
He’s the general manager of food manufacturer Gorines, which is now making plans for a single windmill outside its office building in Lilesand in Agder.
The goal is to become 100 percent self-sufficient in energy production, says Svendsen.
He has nothing against the fact that the mill will be clearly visible from the office. He is also not worried about the sound it will make.
– With the noise coming from the E18, you can hardly hear it. In that sense, it wouldn’t be a nuisance to anyone.
The company sends about 130 million NOK worth of food each year from its own factory. The need for energy is great, and now they want to invest in it near the wind In the established business area.
On this lawn outside the office building of the food-producing company Gorines, the company will set up a windmill.
Photo: Espen Perrod/NRK
I believe in many gardens small and large near the wind
NVE, which issues wind concessions in Norway, believes that many small and medium-sized local wind farms will emerge in the coming years.
– See that there’s a lot going on in the areas around this. Many people want such projects, says NVE consultant Erlend Bjerkestrand.
He believes part of the reason is the criticism leveled against building wind energy in an untouched nature.
– Many have indicated that it is desirable to combine interventions and energy production where there is already an industrial zone. This may have led many to search for such areas, says Bjerkstrand.
Plans are also being made for a power plant with medium-sized wind turbines in the Kjærlingland business district in Lilesand.
Behind it are real estate developer JBU and energy company Greenstat Energy.
– We are planning a power plant between commercial activities. Wind, solar and hydrogen production will all be in a combined energy system, says Greenstat Energy CEO Torstein Thorsen.
If the municipality and the NVE approve the plans, wind and hydrogen power could be produced in Kjærlingland within two to three years.
Several players in Norway are now showing interest in nearby wind projects, says NVE consultant Erlend Bjerkestrand.
Photo: Espen Perrod/NRK
Glad they took the initiative
Gorines started investing in renewable energy in 2016.
The background was the idea that renewable energy is the future and the desire to be a future-oriented company.
Now they have 6000 square meters of solar cells on the roof.
Adapted so we get the maximum effect from it ourselves, says Gorines co-owner Daniel Svendsen.
In retrospect, they are glad they took the initiative.
Timing was good, although we also feel the power crunch very well. Svendsen says that had it not been for the actions we took, it could have been much worse.
Measures with several technologies combined into one solution reduced their energy needs by more than 50 percent.
Gorines in Lillesand now has 6,000 square meters of rooftop solar cells. Co-owner Daniel Svendsen (left) and general manager Oyvind Svendsen (right).
Photo: Espen Perrod/NRK
It has a positive impact on the company’s finances
Gorines received 10.5 million NOK in support from Enova. They have spent themselves 26 million.
Even if there are some additional investments, it has a positive impact on the company’s finances, says Svendsen.
The hope now is that the windmill can contribute to predictability in terms of what “kilowatts” may cost them in the future.
– Most of the day we will be self sufficient and sometimes we will also be able to share electricity with others in the industrial zone here.
Roar Huggins, a senior consultant at Innova, says Gorenz did a lot right when it first had to build a new plant.
– They have adopted the most innovative solutions to reduce energy requirements. In addition, they think little beyond their company when it comes to their ability to share energy with the neighboring company. I think we need more such solutions in Norway in the future, he says.
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