Skip to content

"I think it's fantastic to have the world's greenest aluminum here in Karmøy", said Astrid Margrete Lie. She was one of many people present when the Karmoy technology plant opened today.

The technology project in Karmoy is a test facility on an industrial scale. Hydro's goal with the project is to provide the world's most energy-efficient and climate-efficient technology when it comes to aluminum electrolysis.

The company's ambition is to reduce energy consumption by approximately 15% per kilogram of aluminum produced, compared to the global average and with the lowest CO 2 emissions in the world. Production is expected to start during the fourth quarter of 2017.

A pilot project for the future

In all, 4.3 billion crowns were invested in the project, including ENOVA's 1.6 billion support.

“We are building a pilot project of high technology and for the future, with the most efficient aluminum production in the world with regard to climate and energy. The pilot project will show the way forward, not only for Karmoy, but for all of our factories in Norway and worldwide. This means that this is a project for all of Hydro, for future-oriented industrial growth here in Norway and for the global climate - and my pride & nbsp; greater are our competent employees who made it all possible, ”said Hydro President and CEO Svein Richard Brandtzæg.

Green, smart and innovative

The technology pilot project was officially opened by Norway's Prime Minister Erna Solberg, and from the stage in Kopervik, she sent a drone to the Karmoy factory, carrying the scissors to cut the opening ribbon.

“Norway is in a process of restructuring, in which we need to create new jobs that will support our prosperity in the future. To be successful in this, we need a greener, smarter and more innovative country - and the pilot project here in Karmoy is just that: green, smart and innovative. Green, because the pilot project's aluminum will be the most energy efficient in the world; intelligent, because competent researchers from Hydro's technology centers in Aardal Porsgrunn and Neuss have developed a new technology that makes this possible; and innovative, because the new technology will be the foundation for new jobs for the green industry in Norway, ”said Solberg.

From obstacles to achievements

First of all, I would like to say that I am extremely proud of our people - I am happy, grateful and thrilled to see that we are where we are today, because the road was long and, in the difficult years after the financial crisis, the focus was on improving costs - nobody talked about investments or new production. But together, we turned obstacles into achievements and today we are paving the way for the next 50 years with this technology project - quite symbolic for coinciding with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the beginning of Hydro Karmoy in 1963 ”, said Hilde Merete Aasheim, executive vice president of Metal Primário at Hydro, directly from the stage.

The opening ceremony was accompanied by a free concert in the concert area in Kopervik, and the public the audience partied with artists Arif, Amanda Delara and Alan Walker.

"It's wonderful that Hydro has decided to invite the local community to this celebration," said Lie.

This text is auto translated

Recommended for you