Category: Energy and renewables

Increased focus on Offshore Wind

This week, Proactima and Anne Mork were appointed as the new group leader for HSE and regulations in the Norwegian Offshore Wind industry cluster. – It goes without saying that Proactima will use our position to participate in the development of high safety standards adapted to the risk in the offshore wind industry. “We see it as particularly meaningful to be involved right now in the initial phase of Norway’s new industrial adventure,” says the new group leader.

– Norway needs more energy in the years to come. Offshore wind power can help to supply Norwegian households and industry with clean and renewable energy And Norway has one of the world’s best conditions for a successful energy transition. To succeed, we must have a high level of safety, while the regulations must be adapted to the risks that characterize the industry. It goes without saying that Proactima will use our position to develop high safety standards and regulations in the initial phase of Norway’s new industrial adventure.

This is according to Anne Mork of Proactima, new group leader for HSE and regulations at Norwegian Offshore Wind (NOW).

Offshore wind can help to supply Norwegian households and industry with clean and renewable power. And Norway has one of the world’s best conditions for a successful energy transition, according to Mork.

NOW is one of Norway’s largest business clusters focusing on the development of offshore wind energy in Norway. The aim is to utilize Norway’s long coastline and expertise in maritime and offshore technology to contribute to a sustainable energy future and achieve climate goals through increased production of renewable energy from wind.

– I am happy and humbled to be trusted to lead the HSE and regulatory team. For decades, Proactima has supported companies and industries wishing to establish themselves on the Norwegian continental shelf. And we will continue to do so. Now I look forward to using my own and Proactima’s expertise together with the rest of the talented people in the professional group and in Norwegian Offshore Wind in the new industry adventure,” says Mork.

Mork holds a law degree and has over 20 years of experience in law, HSE, quality and risk management, management systems, auditing, compliance, change management, accident investigation and emergency preparedness.

Read more: Proactima urges the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy to set higher HSE requirements in the prequalification of offshore wind power.

What will you focus on going forward?

– Together with the members of the working group, we set the agenda. Current issues this year are the new regulations and supply chain. The new regulations will probably be adopted during the year. There are strong forces pulling in different directions, but the most important thing is that the industry is safe and secure for people and nature. The regulations must be adapted to the risk picture and the challenges faced by businesses. In the supply chain, it’s important to look at HSE management in order to build a common culture, preparedness and safe supplier management,” explains Anne.

Anne adds that it will also be important to connect academia and the knowledge sector in the future to achieve maximum synergy.

The development of offshore wind can provide great opportunities for development companies, energy companies and the supplier industry. What can Proactima contribute to players who want to position themselves?

– Companies that are granted a license to develop Utsira Nord and Sørlige Nordsjø II put themselves in a very good position in what could become a new Norwegian industrial adventure. We bring best practices across other sectors into offshore wind. We do this through a risk-based approach where we first need to understand the risk picture and what is important, and then prioritize correctly. We have a proven track record of success with such projects. For decades, Proactima has supported companies wishing to establish themselves on the Norwegian continental shelf with corporate governance, risk management, management systems, change management and emergency preparedness, to name but a few. In combination with our expertise in ESG and sustainability reporting (CSRD), we are well equipped to support larger players with specialist expertise in selected areas and smaller players with capacity and knowledge.

Read more: How we support customers in the energy and renewables industry

Do you want to know more about how we make a difference in offshore wind?

Get in touch with Anne Mork for an offshore wind chat!

Successful Gathering at Tensio

“Now it’s serious” for the Norwegian energy industry was one of the key messages during the first gathering of the year at Forum for risk management in the energy industry. The need for a better and more comprehensive overview of the consequences of power outage in society and increased cross-sector collaboration at regional and national levels is greater than ever.

-This is how the moderator and leader of the forum, Jens Thomas Sagør at Proactima, opened the first gathering of the year last week. Proactima has been the proud secretariat of the network that gathers participants from various parts of the energy industry for over ten years.

F.l: Lars Krøke, Sigurd Aamodt and Hans Wigen Finstad. All from the host in Tensio.

The backdrop for the gathering was the serious situation concerning critical infrastructure in an increasingly turbulent world and the need to find good solutions for successful risk management. Last week, about 25 participants gathered at Tensio in Stjørdal.

-The Forum for Risk Management in the Power Industry establishes relationships across companies and contributes to strengthening the professional environment for risk management in the industry, said Hans Wigen Finstad, Development Director at Tensio, who hosted the gathering last week.

Rune Paulsen, Head of Network Development and Strategy at Tensio, provided insight into capacity limitations in the power grid.

-In the broader picture, there are several capacity limitations in the grid, and everyone thinks that the ‘neighboring company’ will save us in deficit situations, but it is not possible with today’s total consumption. We need to find flexibilities in a more holistic view within the energy sector, break down silos between different actors, and look at society’s overall picture, said Paulsen.

Rune Paulsen at Tensio provided insight into capacity limitations in the power grid.

Christian Stav, CEO of NTE and member of Totalberedskapskommisjonen, presented a concise summary of the extensive commission work and addressed both strengths and weaknesses in Norwegian emergency preparedness.

Ann Karin Midtgaard, Head of Investigation at the Directorate for Civil Protection and Emergency Planning (DSB), provided insight into the AKS methodology (analysis of crisis scenarios) and the report “Risk Analysis of Energy Rationing.” The presentation of the results clearly demonstrated the need for a better comprehensive overview of the consequences of power outage in society and increased cross-sector collaboration at regional and national levels.

Rune Sjursen from Proactima shared experiences from a procurement project where Proactima has further developed a method for land risk assessment based on recommendations from national authorities, to reduce the risk of supply chain attacks from state or state-sponsored threat actors.

Rune Sjursen from Proactima shared experiences from land risk assessment to reduce the risk of supply chain attacks.

With its risk-based approach, Proactima has a long tradition of regulatory understanding combined with strategic and operational risk management in the sector. Proactima has assisted in many of the energy industry’s transformation processes to strengthen companies’ competitiveness, increase energy production, and play an active role in the green shift.

Forum Seeks More Participants

The forum is a platform for networking and exchanging expertise and experience about comprehensive risk management.

The target audience is leaders and professionals who work with risk management from a corporate perspective. Many experience a lack of professional sparring and support in their organization, and the Forum for Risk Management has precisely been a contribution in this regard. Over time, the forum has had participants working in various disciplines; management, HSE, financial management, IT security, operations, projects, etc.

Would you like to participate in the next gathering? The Forum for Risk Management in the Power Industry is looking for new participants. Contact Jens Thomas Sagør for information and participation.

Participation is free of charge.

How the Energy Industry Succeeds with Risk Management

The need for effective risk management in the power industry is more relevant than ever before. We require new knowledge, methods, and tools to understand and address risks.

This is the clear message from Jens Thomas Sagør, leader of business development and energy expert at Proactima.

Jens Thomas Sagør, leader of business development and energy expert at Proactima.

– The power industry is one of the most crucial pillars of our modern society and has a crucial significance for societal safety. After all, its main task is to supply Norway with electrical power—an essential part of our infrastructure.

Sagør believes that the entities best at identifying and managing risks and vulnerabilities secure clear competitive advantages.

-Norway has an energy deficit, and the production of renewable energy is necessary to meet future energy demands. We may transition from a situation of surplus to deficit in power within a few years, meaning we’ll become reliant on significant imports during dry years, along with external unrest and energy scarcity abroad. The industry is amidst significant technological shifts while undergoing restructuring and consolidation. Norway’s experience in energy production and our long coastline mean we have the world’s best prerequisites for success. However, it requires new knowledge, methods, and tools for us to succeed,” Sagør explains.

Energy Companies in Transition

In Eastern Norway, many businesses, especially industries, lack the ability to connect to the power grid. Supply security and grid capacity are not just matters of national security but also affect society’s ability to transition to green energy.

What are the challenges for the energy industry today?

-Energy companies are undergoing drastic changes. Actors must adapt to expanded operations in their business models, and risk management and corporate governance are aspects that must be mastered at both operational and strategic levels. Additionally, most actors are at the stage where they must define how the future power system will operate—and the industry is closely linked to digitization. Moreover, the number of grid companies will significantly decrease, leading to larger and fewer entities. Mergers of power companies and restructuring will be a focus in the industry for a long time,” says Sagør.

Norway is Unprepared for Energy Rationing

Earlier this fall, the Directorate for Civil Protection and Emergency Planning (DSB) published the report “Risk Analysis of Energy Rationing,” indicating that Norwegian society is largely unprepared for power rationing due to Norway’s historically ample access to electricity and high supply security.

-The consequence of power rationing affects us all and can lead to unrest and reduced welfare. Everything from limited access to groceries, delays in health services, unstable data and telecommunications, to limitations in water supply. It is also conceivable that there may be requirements to reduce power consumption at home, Sagør elaborates.

How should industry players navigate in this complex landscape?

-The whole point is to find the right balance between developing and creating value and avoiding accidents, damages, and losses. The combination of regulatory understanding and a holistic approach to risk management is the best recipe when facing the unknown.

Sagør adds that the current trends show that society as a whole is directing more focus, expectations, and demands towards the government, but he emphasizes that the public sector cannot handle the task alone and that the business sector must be aware of its responsibilities.

-Uncertain times with economic challenges, climate change, security unrest, and energy scarcity create expectations that the public sector must act and be in control. But we must not forget that the business sector has a responsibility to contribute to developing and sharing knowledge, methods, and tools that enable society to handle growing uncertainty and complexity. Therefore, our social responsibility at Proactima is to ensure that everyone has the structure, culture, competence, and leadership required to prevent risks and effectively manage incident.

Proactima is assisting in developing a hydrogen-powered high-speed vessel for the Port of Narvik

The Port of Narvik in northern Norway needs a new workboat which should be both fast and emissions-free. Proactima together with eight project partners, are now seeking public funding to build one of the world’s first hydrogen-powered, high-speed vessels.

The boat will be equipped with hydrogen fuel cells from TECO 2030,which will be leading the project, and will be built by the shipyard Grovfjord Mekaniske Verksted (GMV), located near Narvik.

When completed, the boat will replace one of the port’s diesel vessels. As a result, the Port of Narvik will be able to reduce both its diesel consumption and its CO2 emissions significantly.

“This is an exciting project for us”, says CEO Trond Winther in Proactima. “Hydrogen will be key to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the maritime industry and we are pleased to be able to contribute. In the project Proactima will be responsible for risk assessments and analyses to ensure that it will be safe to use”, underlines Trond Winther.

The boat is planned to be completed in 2023. The Port of Narvik will mainly use it for keeping an overview of the port and the activities there, for emergency preparedness, and for teaching and training of crews.

The Port of Narvik aims to get the boat classified as a long-range, high-speed passenger vessel, and the plan is that it should be able to keep a pace of 23 knots.   

Green transition in the maritime industry

Norway aims to reduce emissions from domestic shipping by at least 50% by 2030, compared with 1990. This target should be reached through a stronger focus on the development of low- and zero-emission solutions, and by setting emission requirements for ships operating on Norwegian fjords. 

Norway plans to introduce requirements for low- and zero-emission solutions in public tenders to speed up the green transition in the maritime industry.

Moreover, from 2026 only zero-emission cruise ships and ferries will be allowed entry into the Norwegian world heritage fjords.  

Ships operating in Norwegian waters will therefore have to reduce their emissions and become more climate-friendly.

The vessel’s fuel cells will be produced in Narvik

The fuel cells that will ensure the boat’s propulsion will be produced at the TECO 2030 Innovation Center in Narvik and will enable it to operate emissions-free.

In addition to Proactima, the following organisations will participate in the project: The maritime engineering company BLOM Maritime, the hydrogen supplier Everfuel, the consultancy KUPA, and the company Norinnova Narvik, which specialises in commercialising research results, are also partners in the project.

BLOM Maritime will provide technical assistance to Grovfjord Mekaniske Verksted during the building of the boat.

Knowledge dissemination will be an important part of the project, and KUPA will focus on disseminating the knowledge about hydrogen boats that will be developed during the boat’s building and testing phase. KUPA is leading a maritime technology cluster in Norway and will pass on lessons learned in the project to its members. 

Hydrogen filling station for ships and road transport

The hydrogen boat will become Narvik’s first hydrogen consumer and will need to be refuelled on a regular basis. The project therefore also involves the establishment of a hydrogen filling station.

Everfuel will seek to develop this filling station. The company is currently working to establish hydrogen filling stations for trucks, buses and other heavy-duty transport all across Norway.

Other users of the port will also be able to use the planned filling station in Narvik. About 500 trucks drive through the city every day, and the filling station will therefore not solely be intended to cater for sea traffic.

The goal is that it will become the world’s first hydrogen filling station that can serve both ships and road traffic, and that its establishment will make it possible for more companies and people in the region to switch to climate-friendly hydrogen.

Everfuel will now, together with UiT and Norinnova Narvik, work to find possible new hydrogen users within the municipality and county municipality, such as buses, waste collection vehicles and taxis.   

In addition, UiT Narvik will participate in the project as a research partner, with the aim of gaining expertise in maritime hydrogen systems. This will ensure that they can provide education that will enable their students to become valuable potential, future employees of the partners in the project.