Climate changes
The transition to an emission-free energy system, where we succeed in stopping climate change, is one of the greatest challenges we face as a society.
We make it renewable
Hafslund's most important climate contribution is to produce, develop, and expand renewable energy from water, wind, and solar sources. We are dedicated to and proud of building a low-emission society. We also utilize local surplus energy, which would otherwise be wasted, to produce district heating. District heating helps relieve the power grid and makes electricity available for purposes other than heating.
The transition from a fossil-based to a renewable energy system is one of the most important solutions to achieve the climate goals we have set. The green transition creates an enormous demand for more renewable energy to replace fossil fuels and enable new industries and value creation. Access to competitive renewable energy will be crucial for Norway to succeed in attracting green industries that can create important jobs.
Hydropower contributes to balance in the energy system of the future
In order to reach net zero emissions by 2050, regulated fossil energy sources in Europe must be replaced with renewable energy sources. Since most renewable energy technologies cannot be regulated, the role of hydropower in balancing the energy system becomes more important, especially with the increased use of energy from wind and solar which can be unpredictable.
Our Climate Footprint
We are committed to minimizing our climate footprint. We have set goals to:
- Become climate positive
- Reduce our own greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2035
- Reduce emissions in the value chain by 50% by 2035
Carbon Capture Facility
Our most important climate measure is the construction of the world's first carbon capture facility at the waste incineration plant at Klemetsrud in Oslo, which can capture up to 350,000 tons of CO2 annually – equivalent to the emissions from 175,000 fossil fuel cars. The waste incineration plant, which is Oslo's largest point source of emissions, will be crucial for achieving Hafslund's and Oslo's climate goals.
We are also systematically working to reduce emissions in all our projects. We see that a large part of our emissions comes from the goods and services we purchase, such as materials, transport, and construction work. The most important measures we prioritize to reduce emissions from our value chain are using low-emission materials, emission-free machines and vehicles, and setting climate requirements in our procurement.
Effects of climate change
In August 2023, we experienced the effects of climate change up close. The extreme weather "Hans" caused the dam at the Braskereidfoss power plant to burst. A report later showed that the costs of flood damage during "Hans" could have been twice as large in Gol and Nesbyen without the watercourse regulations.
Climate Change Impacts Us
We are also not shielded from the consequences of climate change. Climate change can lead to changes in weather patterns that increase unpredictability for power production and planning. Here, we are continuously working to adapt. Increased extreme weather makes floods one of the biggest physical climate risks we face, with the risk of damage to facilities and infrastructure.
In August 2023, we experienced the effects of climate change up close. The extreme weather "Hans" caused the dam at the Braskereidfoss power plant to burst. We have been open about the incident and have implemented measures to prevent similar incidents from happening again.