When it comes to Iceland and technology, it is perhaps best known for geothermal and hydraulic energy. But recently 10 companies from the North Atlantic nation have launched Green Marine Technology. It is described in news reports as a “marketing initiative” – and provides information on environmentally-friendly solutions for fisheries and fish-processing. The initiative just got media attention for unveiling an impressive interactive website: greenmarinetechnology.is.
The 10 firms involved in the project include: Dis Solutions, Promens, Marpot, Polar, Navis, Trefjar, Samey, 3X Technology, Thor Ice and Naust Marine.
Also, Green Marine Technology traces its origins to the Iceland Ocean Cluster, which itself grew out of research at the University of Iceland. Iceland Ocean Cluster provides networking for ocean-related industries.
The Ocean Cluster already produced a map of ocean-related industries in Iceland. A companion report was also released. The website is the most recent initiative. In addition, another achievement is a new global map which illustrates how technology is employed in fisheries.
“The website covers everything from how to effectively use geothermal energy to installing eco-friendly trawl doors, and its creators claim it can help the seafood industry turn the corner when it comes to jointly marketing technology solutions,” according to a report from Ice News.
A key goal of the initiative is environmentally-friendly technology that will improve energy efficiency, lead to more use of renewable energy and lower greenhouse gas emissions. The initiative is considered important for meeting these goals.
“This marks a turning point in jointly marketing technology solutions for the seafood industry,” Iceland Ocean Cluster said in a recent statement. “Technological development is a key environmental issue. The call for environmentally friendly technologies is in all areas. Many countries consider it necessary to invest in technology and developments in this field. Nations are endeavoring to build up in the green technology including energy, natural resources and waste.”
Green technology is considered by many to be a growth field globally – as many nations and sectors embrace more environmentally-friendly technology. In one recent report, TMCnet cited a US government study which predicted over the next three decades renewable energy and nuclear power will increase 2.5 percent a year — which is faster than fossil fuels. Some alternative energy startups have failed in the United States – but others hold promise, and Iceland is hoping it will play a role in the sector’s future.
“Many Icelandic high tech companies are leading in its field in terms of quality and eco-friendliness,” the Iceland Ocean Cluster statement said. “They generally emphasize quality, efficiency, power savings, water savings and sanitation. These two key elements, quality and eco-friendliness, are extremely important when marketing Icelandic technology.”
Edited by Cassandra Tucker