Felleskjøpet Agri is adopting new innovative technology that significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions and decreases power consumption at the feed factory in Skansen, Trondheim, by up to 75 percent.
The distinctive building on the outskirts of Trondheim's center was built in the 1950s, but still produces world-class animal feed. The factory is now one of the first in the world to use innovative heat pump technology.
- At Felleskjøpet, we have an overarching goal to halve our greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. It's entirely natural, and not least timely, that we are taking action, says Bjørn Stabbetorp, Director of Agriculture at Felleskjøpet Agri.
The plan is to eventually implement the same technology in more of Felleskjøpet's factories.
- We are starting with energy efficiency improvements on two of the four production lines at the animal feed factory at Skansen in Trondheim, says Vebjørn Nilsen, Technical Manager at Felleskjøpet Agri.
Groundbreaking
The technology enabling Felleskjøpet Agri's ambitious climate and energy efficiency initiatives is delivered by Ohmia Industry - a wholly owned subsidiary of TrønderEnergi. The pilot project at Skansen has an investment framework of approximately 40 million kroner. Enova supports the project with 9.2 million kroner.
- Most players in the process industry – both nationally and globally – generate unused energy in the form of valuable waste heat. We can now take advantage of this. Felleskjøpet wants to take climate responsibility and is willing to invest for the future. We have high expectations for this project, says Vebjørn Nilsen.
The newly appointed Technical Manager at Ohmia Industry, Michael Bantle, is responsible for integrating the new heat pump technology in collaboration with Epcon Evaporation Technology AS. His background includes being a researcher and technology expert from SINTEF.
- The use of special steam-producing heat pump technology provides the opportunity to utilize waste heat and recycle it within the factory. This will largely replace the use of fossil energy sources and direct heating with electricity. It’s such a system that will now be installed at the factory in Skansen through Ohmia Industry, says Bantle.
Reducing Footprint
Managing Director Ann Merethe Lysø Sommerseth of the newly established Ohmia Industry sees great potential for delivering this type of technology through new business models.
- The process industry, as seen here with Felleskjøpet leading the way, has a strong desire to help solve the world's climate challenges. With our solutions, industrial companies can significantly reduce their climate footprint and electricity consumption, and through an innovative business model, we make it easy for industrial customers to adopt the solution, says Lysø Sommerseth.
The pilot project is expected to release 1.2 MW of electrical capacity and significantly reduce the annual power consumption at FKA Skansen. The goal is for energy efficiency to provide energy and power savings of up to 75 percent on the two lines, while the factory achieves a notable reduction in CO2 emissions.
- If the pilot is successful, we will extend the technology to other animal feed factories in Felleskjøpet Agri. This could give us a total annual reduction of up to 30 GWh while we contribute to zero emissions in our production processes, says the Director of Agriculture at Felleskjøpet Agri, Bjørn Stabbetorp.
Supported by Enova
Enova, which supports the project with 9.2 million, believes the Felleskjøpet project represents an important part of the solution in two key areas on the path to a low-emission society: Establishing technology that can utilize the enormous resource in waste heat from industry, and establishing business models that lower the threshold for the industry to actually seize the opportunities.
- The collaboration between Ohmia Industry and Felleskjøpet is truly a kinder egg. It contributes to energy efficiency, power relief in the electricity grid, and the establishment of new business models. And not least, it also helps the process industry substantially reduce its climate footprint, says Marit Sandbakk, Senior Advisor at Enova.
Facts About Felleskjøpet Agri:
The Felleskjøpet Agri group has a turnover of 18.7 billion and 4,107 employees. Felleskjøpet is the main supplier of operational resources and technology to Norwegian agriculture. Felleskjøpet's operations also include property management, bread and pastries, equipment for parks and facilities, as well as feed and equipment for pets. Felleskjøpet is a cooperative owned by over 41,000 farmers. Felleskjøpet is the market regulator for grain and a purchasing and sales cooperative for its members. Felleskjøpet's purpose is to contribute to strengthening its members' economy in the agricultural business in both the short and long term.
Facts About TrønderEnergi:
TrønderEnergi is an energy group headquartered in Trondheim with a production center in Berkåk. The company owns and operates large hydropower facilities and has been pioneering wind power development in Norway since the 1980s.
TrønderEnergi has heavily invested in providing customer-focused services within electrification and is the largest national player in EV charging for housing associations and cooperatives, through Ohmia Charging. In recent years, they have also established Ohmia Retail, offering energy services to the retail sector in Norway and the Nordic countries, and Ohmia Construction, which works nationally with emission-free construction sites. The newest subsidiary is Ohmia Industry.
In autumn 2022, TrønderEnergi establishes the Nordic renewable energy group Aneo, together with HitecVision.
TrønderEnergi is owned by 19 municipalities in Sør-Trøndelag and KLP (Kommunal Landspensjonskasse mutual insurance company).
