Our ambition is to approach zero emissions from our farm operations. Through close collaboration with various knowledge environments, we will work towards zero emissions in the coming years, both in buildings, energy use, measures in the barn and measures out in the field. Mære is a pilot area in ZEN (Zero Emission Neighborhood) where buildings and energy use are the main focus. FME-ZEN is led by NTNU and SINTEF, and Trøndelag County Council and NTE are active partners in the development of the zero emission farm.
Here you can watch the film NTE has made about Mære as a pilot area in ZEN:
Press release:
Mære Agricultural School was recently selected as a new pilot area in FME ZEN. This means that the research center, led by NTNU and SINTEF, will look at the possibilities of reducing climate emissions associated with the operation of the farm towards zero.
This, together with various measures and expertise within the agricultural sector, means that Trøndelag County Council now wants to facilitate a broad mobilization for the development of Norway's first modern net zero-emission farm facility at Mære, says expert advisor Torger Mjønes at the county council.
Radical change needed
Agriculture accounts for around nine percent of Norway's total direct greenhouse gas emissions, and according to the UN's Climate Panel, we need a radical change in how we produce food.
In their latest report (August 2019), the panel's scientists state that it will be impossible to keep global temperatures at a safe level without changing how we produce food, what kind of food we eat, and how we manage the world's land areas.
– The need to develop good pilot models is great – nationally, but also as a contribution to competence development internationally, says center manager at FME ZEN, Arild Gustavsen.
Mobilizes various professional communities
Mære Agricultural School has a total building area of approximately 18,000 m2, where in recent years they have received a district heating system based on energy harvesting from tomato greenhouses, a new wooden dairy barn that is naturally air-conditioned, a nursing barn with a roof-integrated solar cell system and a dormitory building with passive house standards and solar cells. In addition, a new stable is now being planned that will probably meet the criteria for ZEB-O, which is an ambition level for zero-emission buildings.
The lake environment is already a good innovation arena for R&D environments and various suppliers to the agricultural sector. Among other things, an R&D team has been established that works on developing facilities and organization, as an R&D and demonstration arena.
Now the agricultural school will collaborate with NTNU, SINTEF, NTE (Nord Trøndelag Electricity Company) and Trøndelag County Municipality to become a new, national innovation arena.
– By bringing together different expertise environments around a common vision of the zero-emission farm, different experiences will be able to contribute to increased sustainability within an important sector, says development manager at Mære Tove Hatling Jystad.
Processes on the road to a zero-emission farm
The researchers and Trøndelag County Council envision parallel processes on the path towards the net zero emission farm at Mære: Measures for reduced greenhouse gas emissions (including energy optimization, conversion to energy carriers with a lower climate footprint and reduction of direct emissions such as methane and nitrous oxide), measures for energy production (including solar energy, energy harvesting, biogas and other types of bioenergy) and better agronomy (including carbon storage with measures to increase carbon content in the topsoil).
– The main part of the activity for the pilot area will be linked to pilot criteria such as greenhouse gas emissions, energy, flexibility, economy and innovation, says Executive Vice President Svein Olav Munkeby at NTE.
Facts about FME ZEN:
Research Center for Zero Emission Zones in Smart Cities (FME ZEN) will help enable the transition to a low-emission society by developing sustainable areas with zero greenhouse gas emissions. The center is a research center for environmentally friendly energy designated by the Research Council of Norway. Through FME ZEN, municipalities, businesses, government agencies and researchers work closely to plan, develop and operate areas without greenhouse gas emissions. More efficient energy use, production and use of renewable energy will contribute to improving the local environment and to achieving national climate goals. One of the measures to achieve this is the establishment of zero-emission areas (pilot projects) that will function as an innovation arena and testing ground for technologies and solutions developed in the research center. NTNU is the host organization and leads the center together with SINTEF Community and SINTEF Energi.
Facts about Mære Agricultural School:
Mære Agricultural School is owned by Trøndelag County Council and located in Steinkjer Municipality. The school offers education for youth (VGS) and adults in natural farming, and also operates a school farm with dairy cows, beef cattle, sheep, pigs, tomato production, grain, potatoes and grass production. The school's development department offers courses in agriculture, forestry, local food production and climate/energy measures in agriculture. The school has over 1,000 farmers on various courses and other events every year.
In 2015, the county council established the "Agricultural Climate and Energy Center" at Mære; an arena for R&D, knowledge dissemination and various demonstration facilities. The development of the center has taken place in close collaboration with agricultural organizations. The school has in many contexts (greenhouse network, pilot solar energy, testing of renewable diesel and precision agriculture) established groups of farmers/gardeners who participate together with the school in the development.
Facts about NTE:
NTE is an energy company with headquarters in Steinkjer and operations throughout Trøndelag. The company has worked with renewable energy for 100 years, and has 26 hydroelectric power plants in Trøndelag, Nordland and Sweden. Annual production is approx. 4,000 GWh. NTE also has a telecom business with 49,000 fiber customers in Central Norway. The company has 750 employees, a turnover of NOK 3.2 billion and is owned by 23 municipalities in the old Nord-Trøndelag.
