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Lillestrøm, big things happen in small societies

Bordering Oslo, Skedsmo municipality has a population of more than 51,000, of which about 14,000 live in the town of Lillestrøm. Despite its size, Lillestrøm hosts one of the country’s busiest railway stations, one of Norway’s foremost areas for research and technology, and more jobs than inhabitants. The region is one of the fastest growing in the country. Over the last decades, Lillestrøm has grown to become a substantial business hub, especially for cleantech and renewable energy companies driving the development of more sustainable energy for the entire Oslo region.

From sawmills to woodchips and hydrogen

People have been living in the Lillestrøm region for millennia; however, the first population boom came with the industrialisation of the sawmills and the arrival of the Norwegian railway in the mid-1800s. The population grew tenfold in about 50 years and firmly established the local industrial society, situated only 20 km from the capital. Nowadays, Lillestrøm brings together local, regional and national actors in especially the cleantech, energy and environment sectors. One example is Akershus Energy Park, which houses one of Europe’s most modern district heating stations, running solely on renewable energy. Woodchips, landfill gas, a heat pump and biooil fuel the plant, in addition to Norway’s largest solar water heating plant covering 10,000 m2. Hynor Lillestrøm, established in 2009, is one of the first companies in the world to produce hydrogen from landfill gas. They have been operating a hydrogen filling station at Akershus Energy Park since 2012, and another at Oslo Airport Gardermoen since 2015; these facilities represent pieces in the growing Norwegian infrastructure for hydrogen-fuelled cars.

A city of knowledge

It appears that the common denominator of many industrial actors in Lillestrøm is Kunnskapsbyen (Lillestrøm Centre of Expertise (LCE) in English). For example, LCE is part owner of Hynor Lillestrøm mentioned above; it hosts the secretariat for the Norwegian Hydrogen Council and has fostered the Oslo Renewable Energy and Environment Cluster (OREEC) launched in 2006. Located in Lillestrøm Science Park, Kjeller, LCE today has over 120 member organisations, which together total 6,000 employees and 17,000 students. LCE was established by Skedsmo municipality as a way to address a lack of communication between the key actors in the region that had been identified. The centre aims to bring together companies, research and educational institutions, and Akershus County Council to contribute jointly to economic development. LCE members prioritize three strategic areas: renewable energy and environment technology; civil protection and security; and urban and regional development. LCE is funded by membership fees, project funding and base funding from Akershus County and Skedsmo municipality. As a driving force for improved communication, interaction and co-operation between its members, LCE’s vision is to “make the region the first choice for research-driven and knowledge-based economies”.

Where there’s a will, there’s a way

As one of the world’s oil-exporting countries, it is promising to see Norway’s focus on R&D in cleantech and renewable energy sources (e.g. hydropower, bioenergy, solar power, geothermal and wind energy). However small, the dedication of Skedsmo municipality to promoting an arena for greener businesses and a platform for interaction between industry, educational and research institutes, and public actors is inspiring. It is also essential for Norway’s potential to reach its national sustainability goals. Akershus County Authority adds financial support to the equation and is an active participant in, for example, efforts to establish a network of hydrogen stations.

Regional dimension

The presence of so many companies, research and educational institutions, and public actors in such a geographically small area as Lillestrøm seems to make the entire difference for Lillestrøm as a society. Job creation, a growing population and increasing tax revenue have made the society and region economically thriving. Yet the research, development and entrepreneurial processes occurring here have the potential to make a vast difference to Norway as a nation. What Lillestrøm can share is a broad spectrum of experience in social competences, such as communication and interdisciplinary co-operation, as well as scientific processes and findings, which it is hoped will help move more societies faster towards a sustainable future.

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