An important milestone is approaching for Iverson eFuels and for Sauda. The zoning plan for green ammonia production will soon be considered by the Sauda municipal council.
Iverson has delivered what the local politicians requested and entered into agreements with all the companies at Birkeland that will be relocated. These companies will receive new facilities built to modern standards, fully financed by Iverson. In addition, we have established agreements with our neighbours and partners in Sønnhavn confirming that all parties want close cooperation, creating important synergies for all businesses involved.
Well-founded, secure jobs
Iverson will not impose costs on Sauda’s residents for relocating the waste-sorting facility, and we will ensure that its operations continue. In addition, Iverson will finance a new pedestrian and bicycle path from Birkeland.
Our project is in line with Rogaland County’s regional plan for green industry, and is thereby anchored in both regional and municipal development strategies.
Safety has been highlighted and discussed in many contexts. This type of production is strictly regulated, and we will build a modern plant and storage facility designed to be both a safe workplace and a good neighbour.
Significant market opportunities
The market for green ammonia is largely driven by political decisions. The UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) will in October 2025, decide on new regulations requiring ships to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. The agreement will establish a framework for pricing greenhouse gas emissions. In the EU, the regulatory framework for zero-emission shipping is already in place. The EU’s FuelEU Maritime regulation requires lower emissions from ships starting in 2025, and ammonia is one of the most relevant solutions for large, energy-intensive vessels.
Such regulations are an example of how demand for green fuels like ammonia is being created. Another example is the new climate requirements for offshore vessels, currently under consultation. This means that operators on the Norwegian continental shelf will need to use offshore vessels with lower emissions.
Several shipping companies have already chosen to invest in ammonia-powered vessels, such as Höegh Autoliners, which transports electric cars. We are closely following this market development. Today, ammonia is used primarily for fertiliser production, and this production is associated with high greenhouse gas emissions due to fossil energy sources. Agriculture must cut its emissions, and here green ammonia will enable such reductions. Ammonia is the world’s second most produced chemical, and the market potential for green ammonia is considerable.
Local power for local value creation
Iverson has secured grid capacity from Statnett. To maintain our capacity reservation in the grid, Statnett requires the project to continue its development and maturation, with regular progress reporting. We plan to be operational by the end of 2030.
In the meantime, more than 300 workers and even more employees from subcontractors will be involved in building new infrastructure in Sønnhavn, developing the Birkeland industrial area, and relocating existing companies into modern facilities. Once operational, the plant will employ 50–60 people, creating or securing four to five times as many additional jobs through ripple effects.
We believe that using locally produced renewable power to develop new, future-oriented industry and value chains will be a positive contribution to the Sauda community.
A future-oriented industrial location
Together with Eramet’s carbon capture project, Sauda will become one of Norway’s leading future-oriented industrial hubs. This will help secure local education and skills development, attract new residents, and make Sauda an attractive place to live for both young and old.
We hope the politicians in Sauda will approve our zoning plan at the municipal council meeting on September 15. We look forward to continuing and strengthening our cooperation with the municipality, businesses, and the local community.