Something is cookin’ at Voss

Voss Biopark is defined as a HUB in the collaboration Grøn region Vestland, an initiative where Vestland County and Innovation Norway facilitate cooperation between public and private stakeholders to ensure an efficient green transition effort. 16 strategically defined hubs across the region serve as focal points for green transformation, enabling the establishment of new value chains throughout the county each with the potential to generate 17,000 new jobs, boost exports, and reduce emissions. One of the largest industrial projects at Voss.

Collaboration and innovation at hubs like Voss Virka at Bjørkemoen will be essential for building a greener and more resilient business landscape in Vestland. The heart for the park is BIR’s new bio gas facility. Photo: Charlotte Hartvigsen Lem 

First of its kind

The core activity at Bjørkemoen is the recently opened biogas plant. BIR, who is one of Norway's largest waste disposal companies, is the owner of what is the first of its kind in Vestland and will produce biogas from food waste from the region and local livestock manure from farmers in Voss. 

Most of the biofertilizer produced in this process will replace the use of cow manure as fertilizer, significantly reducing methane emissions from agriculture. Several biofertilizer components and fertilizer products will be developed and can be used by the agricultural sector. This can help reduce the import of synthetic fertilizers.

The biogas produced at the facility is highly suitable as fuel, primarily for heavy vehicles, and is an environmentally friendly and fossil-free fuel that offers a good alternative for businesses in and around Voss.

The park also has its own energy station: To enable local use of the biogas, efforts are underway to establish a refueling station in Voss. Vehicles will quite literally be powered by local food waste and cow manure – a great example of smart utilization and circular value chains in practice.
 

Exploiting side streams

In this HUB-spirit, alongside BIR’s biogas facility, the Voss based company Invertapro is currently Invertapro up scaling its insect factory to industrial production, where they will ne utilising local food waste and organic side streams for insect production. They will supply 1,500 tons of sustainable feed suitable for feed for salmon or farm animals.

Another company already located in the park is Voss Microz, who produces sprouts and microgreens in one of the industrial facilities on the site. They deliver fresh products every week, year-round, to the best restaurants in Western Norway.

To support the circular value chains the park i also exploring if they can exploit thermal heat resources, to secure sustainable energy supply.

Bergen has a unique local word for waste – “boss”. And now Voss takes “boss” - domestic waste from food and other wet organic, and is turned into feed for larvaes. Photo: Charlotte Hartvigsen Lem. 

We can connect you

Collaboration and innovation at hubs like Voss Virka will be essential for building a greener and more resilient business landscape in Vestland. The partners are very clear: The have room for companies and business ideas that can fit into the value chains in the park.

Could this be the location for your company? The industrial area has available space and facilities for co-working and co-optition. Would you like to know more? We can connect you!

Every week, Voss Microz delivers sprouts and microgreens to the best restaurants in Western Norway. The produce grows indors, so the season is all year. Photo: Charlotte Hartvigsen Lem.