Official visit to Germany: Business Seminar in Hamburg

Ministers, 

State secretaries,

Ladies and gentlemen, 

Meine Damen und Herren, 

In the 1880s, a young man named Sam, born in the small town of Arendal in southern Norway, studied engineering in Berlin. It turned out that he was exceptionally talented. He had a passion for railway stations, lines and bridges.  

After he graduated, Sam found his perfect business partner here in Hamburg,  

Mr C.O. Gleim. Together, they formed a successful business. Their company Gleim & Eyde won several international competitions, including the first prize for the railway station structures in Oslo, Stockholm and Copenhagen.  

After a few years, Gleim and Eyde went their separate ways. In 1905, Sam Eyde co-founded Norsk Hydro together with Professor Kristian Birkeland. 

Today, Hydro has partnered with Porsche and Mercedes to deliver low-carbon aluminium, produced in Norway, using renewable energy. This is only one of many examples of successful German-Norwegian partnerships rooted here in Hamburg that continue to flourish today.  

Ladies and gentlemen,   

Germany is Norway’s close friend and partner. And today, we are gathered here to discuss one of the most important issues of our time:  

The green transition.  

This offers many business opportunities, but even more importantly, it is necessary for our planet and for future generations – and for the legacy of our generation:  

What did we do? Did we do enough? Sadly, the honest answer to this question – so far, is no – we have not done enough, and we are not moving fast enough.  

But this conference is part of the solution, part of our greener path forward.  

Thank you all for the great work you are already doing. 

Earlier this year, Germany and Norway agreed to establish a strategic partnership on climate, renewable energy, and green industry.  

This partnership encompasses several areas, including hydrogen and green shipping, offshore wind power, carbon capture and storage, and battery technology.  

Today, we will have the opportunity to pave the way for the next steps in our cooperation in several of these areas. 

Ladies and gentlemen, Meine Damen und Herren, 

For a long time, ‘Energiewende’ has been a driving force in the transition to renewable energy.  

Germany is a pioneer and a global role model for a rapid energy transition.  

You have shown remarkable progress in expanding your percentage of renewable energy, particularly solar and wind power. You have also demonstrated leadership and vision in the plan to phase-out coal power by 2030.  

We admire your achievements. And we look forward to keeping working together to move things forward. 

Norway is cooperating closely with Germany on the green transition.  

I have already mentioned the partnership between Norsk Hydro, Porsche and Mercedes. Another example is Heidelberg Materials, who is building the world’s first carbon capture system at a cement plant – in Norway. 

And Hydra, the world’s first hydrogen-powered car ferry, is now in regular service in Norway, and interestingly, it is being fuelled by hydrogen imported from Germany.  

In other words: we complement each other perfectly.  

Meine Damen und Herren,  

The green transition is a necessity and an opportunity.  

An opportunity to create new, profitable industries and jobs.  

To enhance our energy security. 

And to strengthen our bilateral relations and cooperation. 

I am confident that this summit will be a constructive platform for discussion, exchange of experience, and collaboration. I wish you the best of luck.   

Thank you. Vielen Dank.