Bionova will make ocean industries, agriculture and forestry greener
Greener agriculture will be vital if Norway is to meet its 2030 climate targets and become a low-emission society by 2050. That is why we have established Bionova as part of Innovation Norway.
Our CEO, Håkon Haugli, welcomed guests to the opening by reminding them why Bionova is being established.
'Today is a good day, but it is also marked by a sense of gravity,' he said, referring to the climate challenges Norway faces.
Ambitious climate targets
He then gave the floor to Minister of Agriculture and Food Sandra Borch, who invited Minister of Climate and the Environment Espen Barth Eide to join her on stage.
'Norwegian agriculture has set ambitious climate targets. Bionova gives us targeted measures that can make a significant contribution towards achieving the target set out in the climate agreement between the government and the agricultural organisations,' said Minister of Agriculture and Food Sandra Borch.
Minister of Climate and the Environment Espen Barth Eide agreed with his fellow cabinet minister:
'Bionova is one of the government's key tools for achieving our climate targets. I have high expectations that this programme will accelerate the transition and reduce emissions from agriculture even faster.'
Other speakers at the opening included Anita Ihle Steen, Mayor of Ringsaker Municipality; Berit Sanness, Cluster Manager at Norwegian Wood Cluster; and Einar Stuve, Managing Director of Oplandske Bioenergi.
Strengthening our focus on the bioeconomy
Bionova comprises two schemes that have long been part of our support offering: the Value Creation Programme for Renewable Energy and Technology in Agriculture and the Bioeconomy Scheme. 'With Bionova in place, we will strengthen our focus on the bioeconomy. This is important,' says Silje Lesjø, who will lead Bionova going forward.
'Both schemes will help make Norway's agriculture, forestry and aquaculture sectors greener. The grant scheme for bioeconomy projects will help increase value creation based on resources from the sea, land and forests, while the renewable energy scheme for agriculture will help the sector produce renewable energy. This will be important as Norway works towards achieving its climate targets,' she says.
Olve Sæhlie to lead the initiative
Olve Sæhlie has recently accepted the role of portfolio developer for Bionova. He will have primary responsibility for managing the two schemes on which Bionova is based, as well as developing its remit in line with Bionova's purpose. He is looking forward to getting fully under way:
'I look forward to helping launch forward-looking bioeconomy projects and using our support schemes to make them happen,' he says.
