A helicopter carrying six people crash landed in the ocean off the coast of western Norway on Wednesday (Feb 28), and all those on board were later hoisted from the sea, the country’s Joint Rescue Coordination Centres said.

Haukeland University Hospital, the region’s largest, said it had received all six patients from the accident but that their medical condition was unclear at the moment.

The helicopter belonged to Bristow Norway, the company’s country manager, Heidi Wulff Heimark, told daily Stavanger Aftenblad.

Energy group Equinor said the helicopter was a search and rescue aircraft normally serving platforms at the company’s Oseberg oil and gas field in the North Sea.

The helicopter was a Sikorsky S-92 model and was on a search and rescue training mission at the time of the accident, a police spokesperson told reporters, adding it was too early to say what had caused the crash.

“We are aware of the incident and stand ready to support the investigaotive authorities and our customer. Safety is our top priority,” said a spokesperson for Sikorsky, a unit of Lockheed Martin.

The area had been experiencing high winds at the time of the accident, a rescue service official told broadcaster TV2.

Air traffic data showed several rescue helicopters circling in the air near an island west of Bergen, Norway’s second biggest city and a busy hub for the Norwegian offshore oil and gas industry.

In 2016, an Airbus Super Puma helicopter returning from the North Sea crashed in roughly the same area, killing all 13 people aboard.

The accident led to the suspension of the use of that type of helicopter by the Norwegian oil and gas industry.

Source: Reuters

The performance of battery-electric buses in harsh weather conditions has always been an issue to be observed and discussed, and just recently a number of news articles in the press did not really help to calm these concerns. Several electric bus manufacturers around the world have undertaken comprehensive tests with its vehicles under such strong winter conditions.

Norway seems to offer an ideal environment for such test operation. One-third of its territory is located within the Arctic Circle, featuring complex environment and harsh climate. Especially in its northern areas, including places like Kirkenes, where low temperature, ice and snow dominate for nearly half the year, the environment is nothing short of a rigorous performance testing ground for battery electric vehicles.

Just recently, a battery electric bus of the Chinese manufacturer Yutong underwent an extreme cold challenge in Kirkenes. Yutong communicates that In a live test of 105 km, its 12-metre e-bus model U12 with a battery capacity of 422kWh showed a power consumption of 1.56 kw/km in an ice and snow environment in Kirkenes where the temperature was -33°C. The vehicle got a special preparation for the ice and snow environment and low temperature of Norway’s climate. In order to meet the special requirements for anti-corrosion performance of vehicles in highly humid and seriously melting snow salt environments, Yutong adopts enhanced anti-corrosion technologies for core components such as the vehicle’s bearing structure and chassis frame, as well as corrosion-prone bottom areas. This measure ensures that no structural corrosion will occur during the full life cycle of the vehicle. Yutong also provides comprehensive chassis protections to prevent critical chassis parts and components from wear in harsh road conditions. All such measures are aimed at meeting the operation requirements for vehicles in a polar environment and ensuring the safe travel of residents in polar regions.

The battery of Yutong’s liquid cooling system can provide 24-hour safety monitoring. The IP68 protection system for battery, motor and electric control avoids safety accidents caused by short-time wading of vehicles. Intelligent functions, such as remote air conditioning scheduling and remote fault diagnosis, provide great convenience for the daily operation of end customers.

Since 2020, operators in Norway purchased a total of 331 Yutong battery electric buses up to now.

A similar challenges under extreme cold conditions was done on January 21, 2024, when Yutong and the No.1 Bus Company of Astana challenged the driving range of Yutong’s articulated e-bus E18PRO in Kazakhstan. In the test, the bus started with SOC of 100% and heating inside turned on for the whole process to pick up and drop passengers normally at stations, and the test ended when SOC reached 5%. Finally, the driving range of 374 km was achieved after 16 hours of operation at -25°C.

Aircraft maker Airbus Group (EPA:AIR) and a number of partners, including Swedish state-owned utility Vattenfall AB, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to study the feasibility of hydrogen infrastructure at airports in Sweden and Norway.

The companies, also including Norwegian airport operator Avinor, Scandinavian airline SAS and Swedish airport operator Swedavia, will conduct a one-year feasibility study covering more than 50 airports across the two countries, it was announced on Wednesday.

The project will help select which airports in both countries will switch to operating hydrogen-powered aircraft as well as the related regulatory framework. The partners aim to use their respective expertise to aid the decarbonisation of the aviation industry.

“We look forward to contribute with expertise in electricity market development, electrical infrastructure, and hydrogen production in Sweden,” said Vattenfall President and CEO Anna Borg.

According to Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury, hydrogen stands out as a key enabler of a sustainable aviation future. “Norway and Sweden are among the most demanding regions for aviation and have great potential for hydrogen production from renewable energy sources,” Faury remarked.

Airbus has the ambition to bring to market the world’s first hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft by 2035. It has also launched a programme to kickstart research into infrastructure needs and low-carbon airport operations.

Norway has been recognized as the most environmentally friendly European country with a total score of 73.3 out of 100, according to a recent study by Hemsol, as cited by Earth on January 24. The rank is attributed to its impressive renewable energy share in 2022.

The experts considered various factors to rank Europe’s greenest countries, such as renewable energy share, recycling rates, and carbon dioxide emissions. 

Aside from Norway at the first spot, which are the top ten countries considered the greenest in Europe?

2. Austria

Austria secured the second spot with a score of 68.89, primarily due to its citizens’ preference for public transport, significantly reducing car usage. Austria also stands out for its high recycling rate and commitment to the Paris Agreement, though it ranks sixth in carbon dioxide emissions.

3. Finland

Finland ranks third with a score of 62.31, following the implementation of a new Climate Act on July 1, 2022. The Act sets ambitious emission reduction targets for 2030, 2040, and 2050, to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035.

4. Iceland

Iceland, in fourth place with a score of 62.13, boasts one of the lowest carbon dioxide emissions rates among the top ten European countries and the highest rate of renewable energy share. 

5. Sweden

With a score of 62.05, Sweden is notable for its extensive woodland areas and the second-highest renewable energy usage. Sweden’s goal is to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045, with a minimum reduction of 85% from 1990 levels.

6. Estonia

Estonia, with a score of 54.66 is considered a green country in several aspects, particularly in its progress towards sustainability and environmental conservation.

7. Germany

Germany is recognized for its commitment to renewable energy, particularly solar and wind power, and its leadership in environmental technology. In the list, Germany is ranked seventh with a score of 52.06.

8. Luxembourg

Luxembourg with a score of 51.83 generally has high environmental standards, particularly in areas such as air and water quality, and waste management.

9. Switzerland

With a score of 51.75, Switzerland has strong environmental policies and legislation, focusing on preserving its natural landscapes and promoting sustainability. The country is known for its efficient waste management and high recycling rates.

10. Slovenia

Slovenia is noted for its biodiversity, forest conservation, and sustainable tourism practices. Ranked tenth, it garnered a score of 51.63 out of 100.

(ERWIN PRIMA | EARTH)

Norway has become the first country to initiate large-scale deep-sea mining in Arctic waters, sparking considerable discussion.

People who care about the environment and scientists have worries. They think this mining could hurt sea life and the variety of life in the sea.

They say we could get minerals from the ground or recycle them instead. This would not harm the sea.

Astrid Bergmål from Norway’s energy department supports this mining. She says it will be done carefully.

It will follow rules that protect the environment. Norway wants to cut pollution and meet its 2030 environmental goals. This mining is part of that plan.

Peter Haugan, a sea scientist, thinks this is a bad move for Norway. He is worried about the sea creatures and different types of life in the sea.

He thinks this mining could be a big risk for them. This decision shows Norway’s tough spot. It wants to protect the environment and also grow its economy.

This mining could help get minerals for clean energy. But it could also harm the sea. Norway must find the right balance.

Other countries are watching Norway. They might use Norway’s methods in their own deep-sea mining. This includes places like the Cook Islands, China, and Japan.

They are starting their own mining in the sea. Deep-sea mining can find many important minerals. These include manganese, nickel, cobalt, and copper.

These are key for many industries. They are very important for producing clean energy. But protecting the environment is also key.

The world is watching how Norway deals with this challenge. What Norway does might pave the way for other countries.