AGF is starting to participate in renewable projects in the Scandinavian countries. Engineering services, technical audits and operation services have been provided and the development of new industrial projects has also begun. Since 2022, several technical and commercial trips have been carried out in the area, contacting leading developers who intend to have a presence in all the countries in the area, creating an international platform for renewable gas production.
The reality of the gas sector in these countries is particular, as exists fossil gas production in the area. Norway is the second most important provider of gas to Europe, with 25% of the supply, after Russia. It provides gas to Northern and Western Europe through its pipelines, but because of the conflict in Ukraine, gas is now being imported by sea. It has become a stable substitute for Russian gas.
Norway is also one of the biggest investors in renewable energy through the Nowegian Fund. Since the discovery of oil in its waters at the end of 1969, it was decided that the country’s revenues should be used not only for consumption, but also to ensure welfare and prosperity in the future. Based on this idea, it was decided that one of the most important investment destinations would be renewable infrastructures. Something similar is happening in Finland, Sweden and Denmark. Investment in fossil fuels is being shifted from fossil fuels to renewable energies, with a view to meeting the target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80-90% compared to 1990 levels by 2050.
Moreover, the organic waste produced in these countries depends on the most important industries in the area: the fishing industry. These are complex products to treat, such as fish silage or fish sludge, so managing them correctly is essential for the optimal operation of biogas plants.
At the same time, the orography of these countries, with a multitude of islands and isolated areas, favours the decentralised production of renewable gas through the management of this type of waste. Many products are produced at sea, on ships, and unloaded directly on the coast.
AGF has recently been contracted to develop an industrial project that could become a reality in the next few years, and which may be applicable throughout the area if the technical challenges associated with highly complex waste are overcome. AGF’s highly efficient biogas production technology has been proven successful for equivalent waste in Spain.
