Norwegian Solutions in the Context of Sustainability

An Innovation Norway programme promoting Norwegian solutions to address water scarcity, sludge management and sustainability.

Summary
In Norway, the water industry provides water and sewerage services to consumers and businesses and therefore manages one of the most important resources from a sustainable perspective: clean water.

There is a strong focus in Norway on sustainability and the recognition that industry can play a role in the green shift and in transforming Norway into a competitive low-emissions society. The production of water and sewerage services generates an annual turnover of around NOK 18 billion, and municipal and sewerage systems will acquire an estimated NOK280 billion of investment in the period leading up to 2040. Big investments in water and sewerage infrastructure and climate change adaption in the coming years will encourage innovation and the development of sustainable solutions with a domestic and global market.

Norway has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030, and it has been proposed that the water industry take its share of the responsibility by helping to reach this goal.

In 2014 water and sewerage services accounted for around 11% of municipal energy consumption. The water industry has the potential to become energy-neutral by implementing measures relating to energy efficiency and the production of renewable energy, e.g. by using heat pumps and producing biogas.

By 2020 industries will need to have drawn up plans for reducing leakage from water pipes to a sustainable level and leakage levels need to be below 20% by 2030.

Source: Norsk Vann, 2017