This autumn, three thousand tonnes of asphalt have been produced in a completely new way in Kristiansund – with hydrogen as the only energy source. Never before has asphalt been produced without climate emissions. Veidekke has started the world’s first asphalt factory on hydrogen on Husøya in Nordmørsbyen. EMISSIONS: Normal asphalt production produces high emissions. That will end if one switches to using hydrogen as an energy source. Photo: Eirik Haukenes / news Low emissions from asphalt Both the governing authorities, contractors and customers are working to reach the climate targets for 2030. Asphalt production has been a major source of Norwegian emissions with 400,000 tonnes of CO₂ a year. An asphalt factory needs so much energy that electricity cannot be used. The alternatives until now have been energy sources that produce emissions: gas, propane, diesel, biodiesel and wood pellets. ASPHALT FUTURE: Fv: Martin T. Holmqvist, Øyvind Larsen and Karl-Tore Gjengstø in Veidekke believe that hydrogen fueling is the future of asphalt production. Photo: Eirik Haukenes / news – Norway has set tough climate targets. But it is impossible to achieve the necessary reductions just by investing in electric vehicles and machines, says director Martin T. Holmqvist in Veidekke Asfalt. – Transition to the use of hydrogen in the factories can alone reduce the total emissions by 40 per cent, says the director to news. HYDROGEN ASPHALT: Veidekke believes that asphalt produced with hydrogen will make an important contribution to reaching climate targets. Photo: Tore Ellingseter / news Not profitable today The hydrogen for asphalt production is transported from Stord to Kristiansund. Executive director Øyvind Larsen at Veidekke Infrastruktur says that today it is not profitable to fuel the asphalt plant with hydrogen, as the substance is far too expensive. The actors hope that eventually a hydrogen factory can be built in Kristiansund. The distance to the factory is decisive for whether the whole thing will be profitable or not. Norway’s climate target for emissions: Through the Paris Agreement, Norway undertakes to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases by 55 per cent by 2030, compared to the level in 1990. Norway must be climate neutral by 2030. Norway has legislated a target to become a low-emission society by 2050. Source: The Environment Agency Will be no. 1 Møre og Romsdal has a goal of becoming the number 1 environmental county in the green shift. Bengt Endreseth is head of energy and green transition in the county council. He rejoices over what is happening in Kristiansund. HAPPY: Bengt Endreseth in Møre and Romsdal County Council is celebrating the innovation in the asphalt industry. Photo: Møre og Romsdal county council – Many want to produce hydrogen, but few industrial players have put the substance to use. It has to start somewhere, and here Veidekke comes as the first in the world in their field. It is very good, says Endreseth. Great interest in Europe – There is great interest in other countries for what we do, says CEO Øyvind Larsen at Veidekke Infrastruktur. – Germany and other large EU countries see that hydrogen is the most realistic emission-free energy alternative for asphalt production, he says. Calls for guidelines The CEO believes that new thinking is needed to cut climate emissions towards 2030. He calls for clear guidelines and priorities – both from the political side and from the customers. – We have now proven that it is possible to produce asphalt with hydrogen. We can use this in large volumes at our 25 asphalt factories if there is full-scale industrial production and distribution of hydrogen in Norway, says Øyvind Larsen to news.
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Kristiansund gets the world’s first asphalt factory that uses hydrogen and has no climate emissions – news Møre og Romsdal – Local news, TV and radio
