NOx efforts on schedule

The business organisations can now document that the emission obligations for 2008 laid down in the Environmental Agreement on NOx have been met.

The Environmental Agreement on NOx between 14 business organisations and the Ministry of the Environment came into force 1st January 2008. By the end of 1st quarter 2009 over 500 enterprises had joined the Environmental Agreement. This constitutes approximately 85 % of all enterprises obligated to pay NOx tax.

According to the Environmental Agreement point 3.2 the business organisations shall make sure that the annual NOx emissions are reduced with 2 000 tonnes by the end of 2008. The measures must be implemented by the end of 1st quarter 2009. As of 10 May 2009 DNV has verified implemented measures which represent a reduction of 2 333 tonnes. This documents that the reduction obligation in the Environmental Agreement for 2008 have been met.

The NOx Fund’s calculations shows that total emission reductions to be credited the agreement’s obligation for 2008 may be 7 761 tonnes NOx. This figure comes from adding the effect of applied-for NOx reducing measures with implementation from 1st January 2008 to the end of 1st quarter 2009. This shows that the emission obligation for 2008 will be fulfilled with a far larger margin than the already verified figures indicate.

In 2008 and 2009, the Fund has pledged support to measures with implementation that corresponds to a reduction of 13 854 tonnes, while the obligations are 6 000 tonnes, of which 4 000 tonnes are for 2009.

If all applied-for measures are implemented as implied, including a reasonable percentage of the applications not yet processed by the Board, the business organisations will, in all probability, fulfil  the total emission obligation of 30 000 tonnes. Reduction as a consequence of altered factors for offshore torching with 4 300 tonnes has then been taken into consideration.