Sigmund Lier, Mayor of Tysvær and Host Municipality of the Year, welcomed us to the heart of one of the country's largest and most important industrial regions, a region that has all the prerequisites for success in the transition to green industry.
- Haugaland Business Park will be a natural location for six of the seven focus areas in the government's recent green industrial boost - offshore wind, hydrogen, battery, CO2 management, maritime industry and process industry.Industry needs clear areas, such as the 5,000 pre-regulated acres we have here in Haugaland Business Park. We have the prerequisites for establishing entire value chains within the various focus areas," Lier emphasized.
- Clear sites a prerequisite
LO leader Peggy Hessen Følsvik agreed with Lier.
- If we are to succeed in the global competition and establish a new green industry, access to industry-ready sites is crucial! Sites like the one we see in the business park here, sites that can tick the right boxes. If we are to become a world leader in the competition for major green industrial establishments, ready sites and sufficient power are a prerequisite," said the LO leader.
- Haugaland Næringspark takes the lead
NHO CEO Ole Erik Almlid continued the reasoning.
- The green shift requires industrial thinking and industrial value chains, with good solutions that create jobs and reduce climate emissions. Batteries, hydrogen, CCS, etc. are the answer to much of this, so it's great to be here, in the place that is now leading the way. We have too few locations like this - with good infrastructure built on collaboration. There will be plenty of calls to Tiril (Fjeld, general manager of Haugaland Næringspark) about important establishments in the future. She must be allowed to go out if she gets a call during the conference," he smiled.
- We've listened to your input!
Minister of Trade and Industry Jan Christian Vestre has visited Haugaland Business Park several times.
- In the government's green industrial boost, we have visions for the seven green industries we believe we have exceptionally good opportunities in, based on natural resources, expertise and experience. As you can see, much of the good input we have received from Haugaland Næringspark and others has been included almost word for word in our industrial promise. When Norwegian and foreign industries want to establish themselves, it is crucial that we can offer turnkey areas that can be realized quickly. Here, the municipalities of Haugalandet and Haugaland Business Park have made an exemplary effort - and shown how this should be done," Vestre said on the link from Trøndelag.
He also emphasized the need for more power.
- "I think we'll have a power deficit sooner than we previously thought. Perhaps already in three or four years. If we are to do something about this, we need faster processes. Everyone will still be heard, but we need speed! That's absolutely crucial," Vestre emphasized.
- Let's get the people with us!
State Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, Elisabeth Sæther, emphasized the importance of getting people on board.
- Now we need to ensure that the locations that are ready are actually used. To succeed at pace, we need to make sure that people understand why we need that electricity pylon or that wind farm. Much of the challenge lies here.
She hopes it will be possible to build on what has been achieved in Haugalandet.
- "I'm absolutely certain that Haugalandet is right at the forefront, based on its location, proximity to the sea, the promising power situation and the excellent municipal cooperation. I myself come from an industrial region further north, but I have to admit that the genuinely good municipal cooperation you've achieved here is a little unusual for someone from the north," she smiled.
Statnett committed to comprehensive area plans
Hilde Tonne, CEO of Statnett, was also impressed by what good cooperation has led to in Haugaland Business Park.
- "I'm almost in tears when five powerful municipalities collaborate in this way. We need to move away from fragmented solutions, because that's when we can speed up what Statnett is responsible for. We work on the basis of comprehensive area plans, and have a completely different implementation capacity when we can see areas in context," she said.
In addition, the conference received input from some of the industrial giants in Haugalandet; Beyonder, Equinor, Gassco and Hydro.
