Otto Andersen

Vestlandsforsking | WRNI · Environmental Research

Current developments presented include the Italian-lead EU-funded project Enhance New Approaches in BioBased Local Innovation Networks for Growth (ENABLING). This project is comprised of 16 partners in 13 countries. To increase rural innovation connected to bio-based industry, a foundational activity in the project is the assessment of potentials f...

The purpose of this paper is to present preliminary results of the project ENABLING (Enhance New Approaches in Bio-based Local Innovation Networks for Growth), which aims at unlocking potentials for bio-based products (BBPs) in Europe. ENABLING is funded by EU Horizon 2020, under the topic "Rural Renaissance - Fostering Innovation and Business Opp...

This is a presentation of the project "ENABLING - Enhance New Approaches in Bio-based Local Innovation Networks for Growth". It is funded by EU Horizon 2020, in Societal Challenge 2 - Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine and maritime and inland water research and the bioeconomy. It is an activity under Rural Renaissance - Fo...

This is a presentation of the early results of the elucidation of potentials for bio-based products in the two counties Hordaland and Sogn og Fjordane, as well as Norway as a whole.

In the VW diesel scandal, automakers were found to be cheating with emission data, by e.g., tampering with on-board detection systems. We have calculated changes in the energy use and emissions of carbon dioxide equivalents that would arise through several options open to automakers, to ensure that the emission of nitrogen oxides is kept within the...

Potensielle og aktuelle kjelder for protein til dyre- og fiskefôr i Hordaland og Sogn og Fjordane er kartlagt. Det er gjort avklaringar omkring kva slags teknologiar som er aktuelle i dei to fylka for å utnytte både nye biologiske råstoff og restressursar. Potensialet for nydyrking av tunikater og makroalgar vart rekna til å være betydeleg større e...

ENABLING is the initiative of 16 partners in 13 EU and associated (IL, NO) countries. The main goal is to support the spreading of best practices and innovation in the provision (production, pre-processing) of biomass for the BBI (Bio-Based Industry). In particular, ENABLING aims at creating appropriate conditions for the development of efficient b...

Potensielle og aktuelle kjelder for protein til dyre- og fiskefôr i Hordaland og Sogn og Fjordane er kartlagt. Det er gjort avklaringar omkring kva slags teknologiar som er aktuelle i dei to fylka for å utnytte både nye biologiske råstoff og restressursar. Potensialet for nydyrking av tunikater og makroalgar vart rekna til å være betydeleg større e...

The paper presents the bioeconomy research at Vestlandsforsking

Eksosutslipp er blant de hyppigste dødsårsakene på verdensbasis. Forbrenning av drivstoff som diesel og bensin, samt biodrivstoff provoserer fram en rekke patologiske responser hos eksponerte individer, spesielt i urbane miljøer. Det er viktig å forstå de mekanismer som får personer kan bli syke av disse utslippene. Denne gjennomgangen av nyere kun...

Energi- og utslippsdata på http://transport.vestforsk.no/ er oppdatert. Vi har beregnet endringer i energibruk og utslipp av CO2-ekvivalenter som følge av "Dieselgate", d.v.s avsløringene om at bilprodusentene har jukset med utslippstall. Også resultater fra nye undersøkelser som viser betydelig underrapportering om bilenes faktiske forbruk, er tat...

Every year, more than ten thousand tons of CRT glass finds its way to city landfills, and while kinescope television sets and screens are being withdrawn from use, this is going to continue for the coming years (estimated 5 to 7 years). Accumulation of this type of waste is not without consequence for the environment. The Directive 2002/96/EC on wa...

New water purification technologies are being developed as the world’s water sources are increasingly being polluted and experience a dramatic consumption with the increasing world population. In this context, the emerging era of nanotechnology has introduced a series of innovations and materials with promising potential as sorptive materials for w...

As a summary of work in the project " Influence of bioethanol fuels treatment for operational performance, ecological properties and GHG emissions of spark ignition engines (Biotreth) " , evolving around the effects from bioethanol blending, this paper summarizes the findings from the 3-year long project. These are 1) attributional life cycle asses...

As a summary of work in the project " Influence of bioethanol fuels treatment for operational performance, ecological properties and GHG emissions of spark ignition engines (Biotreth) " , evolving around the effects from bioethanol blending, this paper summarizes the findings from the 3-year long project. These are 1) attributional life cycle asses...

The eco-environmental impacts resulting from introducing biofuels, as alternatives to fossil fuels, are generally well understood via numerous attributional and consequential life cycle assessments (LCAs). Especially climate change and land use have gotten much attention, whereas other eco-environmental impacts are less understood. Ethanol-gasoline...

Reducing environmental impact is attempted through developing a new technology for utilizing waste Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) glass in the production of tiles. The implementation of the technology may considerable reduce the quantity of CRT waste, which today is piling up as a result of the transition to flat screen computer monitors and televisions. T...

Two cases illustrate and critically evaluate LCA as a methodology for assessing environmental aspects of electronics and impact of various stages og product´s life cycle. This has been done for interconnect technology in electronics micro-intergration and photovoltaic solar cells. The two cases show how LCA can contribute towards improving the sust...

Bioethanol has been increasingly applied as a renewable energy component in combination with gasoline for the reduction of emissions and to reduce the release of climate gases in the atmosphere. Blending of bioethanol and gasoline has however not been studied from a toxicological perspective, and our recent studies show that it can contribute to in...

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are increasingly being used in the field of microelectronics, energy harvesting and upcoming green energy technologies. CNTs are composed of fused carbon rings with high electron angular momentum, attributing them unique surface electrostatic properties and strong adsorptive properties towards organic compounds. Removal of i...

A new photovoltaic silicon crystalline solar cell dry chemical etching process (DCEP) is developed. It is an alternative to the current State-of-the-Art (SoA) wet chemical etching process (WCEP), associated with relatively large environmental loadings in the form of high water consumption and emissions of greenhouse gases with high Global Warming P...

Future energy technologies must be based on renewable sources of energy and they must be sustainable. This workshop will provide insight into unintended impacts of renewable energy and how they can be avoided. In order to steer away from the pitfalls and unintended effects it is essential that necessary knowledge is present to the developers and de...

The report is summarizing the research contributions from VF as partner in the EU-project "Development of a competitive zero Global Warming Potential (GWP) dry process to reduce the dramatic water consumption in the ever expanding solar cell manufacturing industry – SOLNOWAT". In the project a new etching method for silicon crystalline solar cell...

Notatet presenterer resultata frå eit synteseprosjekt for Norges forskningsråd om dei lange linene i energiforskinga, med hovudvekt på Renergiprogrammet. Prosjektet har studert dei lange spora i norsk samanheng, relatert til den internasjonale utviklinga, om implementering av alternative drivstoff i transportsektoren. Dette er blitt belyst gjennom...

This report is summarizing the research contributions from VF as partner in the EU-project "Development of a competitive zero Global Warming Potential (GWP) dry process to reduce the dramatic water consumption in the ever expanding solar cell manufacturing industry – SOLNOWAT". In the project a new etching method for silicon crystalline solar cell...

"Tittelen på boken er "Utilsiktede konsekvenser av fornybar energi ". Denne tittelen er valgt fordi boka favner om en del aspekter ved energiteknologier som det til daglig ikke snakkes mye om. En av intensjonene med boka er å formidle kunnskap om også de aspektene som er med på å gjøre teknologiene sub-optimale. I boka gis realistiske bilder på beg...

Biodrivstoff, hydrogen, el-biler, og solceller har en del uønskede effekter som til nå har vært lite synliggjorte. Otto Andersen i Vestlandsforsking har skrevet en bok som er publisert på forlaget Springer med tittelen «Unintended Consequences of Renewable Energy. Problems to be Solved» (http://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-1-4471-5532-4). Bok...

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a methodology for assessing the environmental aspects and potential impacts throughout a product´s life cycle from raw materials and energy extraction, components manufacture, assembly, distribution and sale, use and final end-of-life treatment such as disposal, recycling and energy recovery (i.e. cradle-to-grave). Th...

The world's air pollution problems are increasingly been related to automotive exhaust emissions. The implementation of diesel and biodiesel blends in passenger vehicle engines have gradually produced a new ecotoxicological profile of urban and rural air pollution, where nanoparticles, volatile exhaust fractions, microparticles and aerosol agglomer...

In this chapter, the historical development in the use of electric cars is described within a global content as occuring in five evolutions or waves, since 1835. The last two waves are described in more detail through the following case studies, the French VEL car and the Norwegian THINK car. They each had their own series of setbacks including. Pr...

Producing electricity by harvesting solar energy in photovoltaic (PV) solar cells can, as we will see, lead to serious unintended consequences. It is the manufacturing of the PV that causes the most evident impacts on health and the environment. The large consumption of water for rinsing wafers between etching steps, creates a subsequent need for w...

This introductory chapter describes the concept of unintended conse- quences, as well as methods and approaches that can be applied to identify the unintended consequences of renewable energy. The chapter includes a brief introduction to consequential life cycle assessment (cLCA), the study of rebound effects, and assessment of environmental impact...

As has been shown, the development of renewable energy is connected to a large number of negative, unintended consequences. However, it is critical to also consider the reduction of energy use, as a key issue in this discussion, irrespective of whether the energy is taken from renewable or nonrenewable sources. This was touched upon in Chap. 2, whi...

This chapter describes the life cycle approach to energy chain analysis and the methodology of life cycle assessment (LCA). Consequential LCA (cLCA) is discussed in comparison with attributional LCA (aLCA). The methodological approach of environmental impact assessment (EIA) is also presented. The methods, with emphasis on cLCA, are discussed in th...

Rebound effects, also known as take-back effects, refer to the behavioral or systemic responses that can be experienced after a new technology or policy measure has been implemented. Such rebound effects have been experienced from efforts to reduce energy use, climate emissions, and other pollutants as well as polluting behavior. This chapter prese...

There are high expectations for the use of hydrogen as a transport fuel in the future. However, as this chapter will show, sometimes these expectations are unrealistic, and are based on industrial actors’ own agendas and strategies. The implementation of hydrogen energy in Norway has been heavily supported with governmental and industrial funding t...

This chapter examines the various unintended consequences of bio- diesel production including loss of biodiversity and shortfalls in GHG reductions. An account of biodiesel impacts in comparison to fossil diesel is followed by a critical review of the common practice of using additives to improve biodiesel performance in the winter. Many of these a...

There are indications that blending biofuels into fossil fuels make the exhaust more toxic, in comparison with exhaust from pure fuels. The basis for this is not known, but research points to the creation of new types of emission components, facilitating easier entry of carcinogens(e.g. PAHs)into lung cells. It is urgent to provide new knowledge of...

Energy technologies in the future will need to be based on renewable sources of energy and will, ultimately, need to be sustainable. This book provides insight into unintended, negative impacts and how they can be avoided. In order to steer away from the pitfalls and unintended effects, it is essential that the necessary knowledge is available to t...

SCR (selective catalytic reduction) is regarded as the most efficient deNOx-system. In combination with a Diesel particle filter (DPF) it represents a very important step towards zero emission Diesel fleet. The present paper informs about the results obtained with SCR and with blend fuels containing different share of RME (B 7, B20, B3 0 and B100)....

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are increasingly being used in electronics products. CNTs have unique chemical and nanotoxicological properties, which are potentially dangerous to public health and the environment. This report presents the most recent findings of CNTs’ toxicity and discusses aspects related to incineration, recycling and potential remediat...

Notatet presenterer resultata frå eit synteseprosjekt for Norges forskningsråd om dei lange linene i energiforskinga, med hovudvekt på Renergiprogrammet. Prosjektet har studert dei lange spora i norsk samanheng, relatert til den internasjonale utviklinga, om implementering av alternative drivstoff itransportsektoren. Dette er blitt belyst gjennom b...

Biodiesel (Fatty Acid Methyl Ester, FAME) is being blended into fossil diesel as a common strategy for implementing renewable energy into motorized transport, in Europe, US and Canada. From the precautionary principle it follows that knowledge of unintended effects from this strategy should be obtained. We have elucidated a theory for how the blend...

Nanotechnology globally represents a new direction within scientific development, where the atomic and electronic properties of molecules are used in a unique fashion to produce and construct new and exotic materials and products. Fullerenes (Bucky balls, C 60) constitute a particular group within the field of nanotechnology. Ful-lerenes find appli...

Nanotechnology globally represents a new direction within scientific development, where the atomic and electronic properties of molecules are used in a unique fashion to produce and construct new and exotic materials and products. Fullerenes (Bucky balls, C60) constitute a particular group within the field of nanotechnology. Fullerenes find applica...

The passive DPF regenerations by means of catalytically coated DPF’s (CSF ... catalyzed soot filter), or a combination of oxidation catalyst (DOC) upstream and a CSF downstream are preferred for retrofitting as simplest solution, if the conditions of engine operation allows it. Especially the engine application has to result in sufficient frequency...

Reduction of NOx- and particle emissions of Diesel engines is worldwide an important challenge for the engineers. Some unregulated components, like NO2, NH3 and naoparticles NP came in the focus of attention in the last years. Application of EGR and / or SCR can lower NOx, using RME (Bxx) can increase NOx. What happens with NP, parameter which ente...

Background, aim and scope Nanostructured polymer particles are produced to be used in ball grid array (BGA) and chip scale packaging (CSP). The technology could replace conventional BGA and CSP metal balls, and the hypothesis is that the shift could be eco-efficient as polymer core particles increase the reliability. For the first time, these parti...

Strategies: Biodiesel fuel pre-treatment Through high gauss magnetic beam, i.e. aligning the fuel molecules to increase the electron spin (magnetohydrodynamics) Adding water to form emulsified fuel Additives and liquid catalysts Various types of additives and liquid catalysts New exhaust filter technologies What properties should they have? How to...

Network on exhaust toxicology: Stiftinga Vestlandsforsking/Western Norway Research Institute (Norway) – Molecular dynamics simulations – Nanotoxicology assessment · University of Applied Sciences – Biel (Switzerland) – Physiochemical analysis of exhaust – Exhaust exposure on lung cells · EMPA Analytical Laboratories (Switzerland) – PAH Particulate...

Nanoparticles from biodiesel may contain toxic tar substance that increases their ability to damage DNA, writes Otto Andersen in this feature article.

The worlds air pollution problems are increasingly been related to automotive exhaust emissions. The more frequent implementation of diesel and biodiesel blends in passenger vehicle engines have gradually produced a new ecotoxicological profile of urban and rural air pollution, where nanoparticles, volatile exhaust fractions, microparticles and aer...

WNRI has been a partner in the EEA project “Influence of bio-components content in fuel on emission of diesel engines and engine oil deterioration” (BIODEG). WNRI has had the responsibility for the task “Toxicity aspects”. WNRI used molecular dynamics simulations (MDS) on supercomputer for this task. From the knowledge that fossil fuel exhaust has...

Strategies: Biodiesel fuel pre-treatment Through high gauss magnetic beam, i.e. aligning the fuel molecules to increase the electron spin (magnetohydrodynamics) Adding water to form emulsified fuel Additives and liquid catalysts Various types of additives and liquid catalysts New exhaust filter technologies What properties should they have? How to...

Diesel cars emit less CO2 than gasoline-powered cars, but diesel exhaust has a much greater concentration of harmful particles. Emissions from biodiesel vehicles are also not good for your health.

The implementation of various international directives for the promotion of biofuels, and new exhaust after-treatment systems aim to reduce the environmental burden of the transport sector. Though what are the real environmental benefits associated with combining blended bio- and fossil diesels with modern exhaust after-treatment systems in the hea...

Tiles that contain titanium dioxide are intended as an environmental product, according to Norwegian producers. But Sergio Manzetti and Otto Andersen believes the issue is more problematic.

The big question is how CO2 emissions can be limited. In the Gulf of Mexico the discharge of crude oil reached record highs. Isn't the time mature to find a replacement for the combustion of fossil energy? ask Sergio Manzetti and Otto Andersen.

The environmental situation is critical for the Sognefjord, in terms of waste water and pollution. But there is little new research and few concrete measures, writes Otto Andersen and Sergio Manzetti in this feature article.

The estimated amount of sulfur dioxide emitted in the narrow valley of Flåm from more than 2400 hours cruise ship idling shows an imminent health hazard and environmental threat.

Exhaust emission from engines running on blends of fossil diesel and bio-diesel present new challenges in toxicological evaluations. The increased content of nanoparticulates in biodiesel present a toxicological risk particularly when blended with the significant content of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in fossil fuel part. PAH are known t...

Production of biofuels has been criticized for competing with food production and reduce biodiversity. New research indicates novel toxicological aspects with these fuel's emissions.

Background, aim, and scopeDuring the last decades, the electronics industry has undergone tremendous changes due to intense research leading to advanced technology development. Multiple life cycle assessment (LCA) studies have been performed on the environmental implications of consumer electronics. The aim of this review is to assess the consisten...

Emissions of greenhouse gases in many European countries are declining, and the European Union (EU) believes it is on track in achieving emission reductions as agreed upon in the Kyoto Agreement and the EU's more ambitious post-Kyoto climate policy. However, a number of recent publications indicate that emission reductions may also have been achiev...

Background, aim, and scope During the last decades the electronics industry has undergone tremendous changes due to intense research leading to advanced technology development. Multiple LCA studies have been performed on the environmental implications of consumer electronics. The aim of this review is to assess the consistency between different LCA...

During the last decades the electronics industry has undergone tremendous changes due to intense research leading to advanced technology development. Multiple life cycle assessments (LCA) have been performed on the environmental implications of consumer electronics. The aim of this report is to provide knowledge of the use of LCA for assessment of...

The potential for biodiesel production based on utilization of residual animal fat and fish in Norway is estimated. This is based on a study of the amounts of residual fat that is possible to recover from grease traps in Bergen. Additional data from Trondheim and Oslo facilitated up-scaling to estimating national potential for utilizing this residu...

It is already known that biodiesel in the tank generate higher NOx emissions on Norwegian roads, than regular diesel. New research shows that the use of biofuels also raises health issues. Researchers from Western Norway Research Institute now believe to have found evidence that the motorist and the environment will also be exposed to new, previous...

SCR (selective catalytic reduction) is regarded as the most efficient deNOx-system. In combination with a Diesel particle filter (DPF) it represents a very important step towards zero emission Diesel fleet. The present paper informs about the results obtained with SCR and with blend fuels containing different share of RME (B 7, B20, B3 0 and B100)....

The project is a response to increasing international requirements regarding air quality standards and the European Union demand for increased biofuels share in the fuel market. The project is of great economic and social importance because of steadily increasing number of vehicles on roads. Application of the project results in economy can in long...

The paper describes significant problems related to influence of Diesel biofuels on engine lube oil deterioration. It was demonstrated by monitoring the engine oil aging and performance changing during its operation in modern high speed direct injection (HSDI) light duty (LD) engine through the use of bench tests. This engine has been equipped with...

Exhaust emission from engines running on blends of fossil diesel and bio-diesel present new challenges in toxicological evaluations. The increased content of nanoparticulates in biodiesel present a toxicological risk particularly when blended with the significant content of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in fossil fuel part. PAH are known t...

W artykule opisano istotne problemy związane z wpływem różnej zawartości biokomponentów (FAME) w paliwach do silników z zapłonem samoczynnym na procesy degradacji smarowego oleju silnikowego. Przedstawiono zmiany właściwości użytkowych oleju silnikowego podczas jego monitorowanej eksploatacji w testach stanowiskowych nowoczesnego silnika wysokopręż...

The combined Diesel exhaust gas aftertreatment systems (DPF+SCR) *) are today a best available technology (BAT) to radically reduce the critical Diesel emission components particles (PM&NP) and nitric oxides (NOx). SCR (selective catalytic reduction) is regarded as the most efficient deNOx-system. The combined systems are already offered today by s...