Landsvirkjun, the Westfjords Regional Development Office and the Westfjord Power Company have today signed a cooperative agreement to launch Blámi, an energy transition and innovation project.
The main goal of the Blámi Project is to inspire the development of innovative energy transition projects. Energy transition is driven by the decarbonisation of energy sources and the Blámi project aims to increase the use of environmentally friendly fuel, hydrogen and e-fuel in transport and industry. The Project will support energy and climate change-related projects, empowering entrepreneurs and promoting innovation in the Westfjords. Landsvirkjun has previously taken part in two cooperative projects; the EIMUR and Orkidea projects.
Moving towards a circular economy
One of the purposes of the Blámi Project is to attract partnerships and international funding for experimentation, research, and development on energy- and eco-friendly solutions. New opportunities and increased co-operation between the public and private sector could help the region to move towards a more circular economy, where the increased use of underused raw materials will be used to create value for existing and future businesses and ventures.
The project will identify and build on regional strengths, existing infrastructure, local businesses, manpower and resources, to create a fertile ground for innovation and increased value creation. The positions of Managing Director and Research and Development Director for the project will be advertised shortly and should be filled by the beginning of next year.
Ríkarður Ríkarðsson, Executive Vice President of Business Development and Innovation at Landsvirkjun:
"We Icelanders are committed to fulfilling the climate goals we have set. However, every challenge brings opportunity, and our gradual energy transition could eventually lead to Iceland becoming fully energy independent. Iceland could be among the first countries to fully decarbonize which could greatly increase the competitiveness of our export industries which are based on the sustainable use of marine and terrestrial resources. This could lead to increased innovation and more employment variety.”
“A project of this magnitude will require the cooperation of many different parties. We look forward to working on energy transition development projects in the Westfjords, where ideal conditions exist for the testing of new technologies such as hydrogen and other energy carriers in production and transport by sea and land. "
Hafdís Gunnarsdóttir, Chairman of the Board at the Westfjords Regional Development Office - Vestfjarðastofa:
"We welcome the innovative thinking behind the Blámi Project and believe that it reflects the future vision of the area, detailed in the Westfjords Action Plan 2020-2024. The Westfjords area is an outstanding place to live, work, visit and enjoy the tranquillity of pure nature. It is a vibrant, growing, international knowledge society characterised by dynamic creativity, a strong identity and environmental awareness. We have good infrastructure, great social services and a diverse economy characterised by respect for the environment, society, and natural resources. The Action Plan sets out policies to increase the environmental awareness of our residents, municipalities, and local businesses, improve access to sustainable solutions, reduce waste, increase value creation, promote innovation, and increase the number of high-tech companies in the area. The project also supports the environmental certification initiative in the Westfjords. We believe that the establishment of Bláma enables us to take advantage of the opportunities that exist by encouraging increased collaboration and innovation. "
Elías Jónatansson, CEO of the Westfjord Power Company:
"New opportunities have arisen in the Westfjords in recent years and substantial funds have been invested in building up infrastructure to support further development. The Westfjord Power Company believes in the importance of cooperative projects of this kind, e.g., the development of green energy exchange solutions. New technology can pave the way for a fossil fuel phase-out, e.g., in aquaculture, transport and transportation. Effective co-operation with the companies in the Westfjords is a key factor in the success of Blámi's operations."
