Do you dream of moving home, or do you want to learn more about the region of opportunity? Stay tuned kongsvingerregionen.no every week the rest of the year!

- We were a doomed region that has managed to turn the ship around, and the Kongsvinger region has in recent years experienced positive growth in the number of jobs and investments. Unfortunately, we do not see corresponding growth in the population and we want to do something about this now, says regional council leader Kamilla Thue.

On 2 September, a united region kicks off a campaign that will contribute to creating citizen pride and good ambassadors to convey positivity and growth, but also recruit competence by building faith in the future with sunshine and success stories from the entire region. 

Will show a growing region

The campaign name "Back to my roots" clearly emphasizes who is the main target group for the project.

- Through surveys, we know, among other things, that many residents want to move home to the Kongsvinger region, but that they may not have the arguments to convince themselves or their loved ones to take the step. We will help both existing residents and emigrants from the Kongsvinger region to become good ambassadors for their home district, and show that this is actually a growth region with enormous opportunities, says Thue, who is also mayor of Eidskog municipality.

Every week for the rest of the year, reports from the entire region will be published on kongsvingerregionen.no, including business, new residents, housing projects, exciting studies and culture. The campaign ends with an open event for those who want to move home or get to know the region better on 18 January.

- Then we invite you to Norway's largest reunion. Here, everyone who has once lived in the Kongsvinger region can come and look at everything we have to offer, and then we will make sure to give you enough arguments that you travel back in the knowledge that this region is attractive, growing and with good future prospects, promises Thue

The arena of possibilities

The municipalities in the Kongsvinger region and Klosser Innovation carried out several surveys among existing residents and emigrants earlier this year to identify the obstacles we face in the hunt for new residents. The result was clear: We have not been able to make our strengths and success stories visible well enough, which in turn means that the potential returnees choose not to return.

- We see that the Kongsvinger region can be attractive for relocation for parents of young children or couples who are planning a family increase. Here we can offer a quieter life without worries about time constraints, closeness to family and friends, the dream house with garden, and access to varied nature, hunting and fishing.

- The Kongsvinger region is also an arena of opportunity in relation to entrepreneurs, with various policy instruments, forward-looking municipalities and grant opportunities. The interesting competence positions can also be found here, but they are not well enough known yet, the regional council leader adds.

Together about growth

Behind the campaign and the goal is a unified region; business, municipalities and policy instruments. Mayor Kamilla Thue wants all political parties to also take part in this initiative:

- We want all mayoral candidates to join, and I encourage a charity event for the region. To symbolize the Kongsvinger region's desire for growth, we will plant a tree for the community. If we are to succeed, we must do it together.

 

 

 

 

19 AUGUST 2019

This summer's facebook competition engaged over 600 people. See answers to the questions and the names of the four who won a gift card from Skarstad Gartneri.

Here are questions and answers from this year's summer quiz:

Question 1: Friday, July 5th
In the #Kongsvinger region we have many beautiful train stations. Where in the region is this station located and which architect designed it?
Answer: Magnor, Eidskog. Architect: Georg Andreas Bull.

Question 2: Sunday 7 July
Somewhere in the #Kongsvinger region, this memorial stone stands in the middle of tall pine trees. The place is known for the battles in the war against the Swedes in 1809. What is this place called?
Answer: The stone is in memory of the battle of Trangen in Åsnes. The Battle of Trangen was a military battle between Norwegian and Swedish forces on April 25, 1808, during the war with Sweden 1808–1809.

Question 3: Wednesday 10 July
Football is life! This sports hall is located in a municipality that triples its population when they invite to this year's big tournament. Do you know which municipality we are talking about in the #Kongsvinger region?
Answer: Grue Municipality

Question 4: Saturday 13 July
This area is a living museum area with cozy cafes and cozy streets. Where are we?
Answer: Øvrebyen, Kongsvinger

Question 5: Wednesday 17 July
Summer is too many active days out with climbing the trees, swimming and ice! Here, young and old are welcome to play and have fun this summer. Do you know where in the #Kongsvinger region we are?
Answer: Skarnes lekeland

Question 6: Saturday 20 July
Can you imagine a trip out in the blue, but have no boat? This summer you can rent pedal boats, rowing boats and canoes at this campsite. Do you know which campsite has this pier and where we are?
Answer: Songnabben camping, Sand

Question 7: Wednesday 24 July
Do you want to go for a walk in the woods or fish in Gjeddevatnet this summer? Then maybe you know what this place is called and where we are?
Answer: Gjeddevasskoiene, Bruvoll, Nord-Odal

Question 8: Saturday 27 July
For many, summer is lazy days with a good book in their lap. Why buy new books when you can rent at the library? Which library have we visited here?
Answer: Kongsvinger Library

Question 9: Wednesday 31 July
Where can we find this floodstone in the #Kongsvinger region?
Hint: In June 1995, the villagers in the municipality fought a fierce battle to save their municipal center.
Answer: Flomsteinen by Grøset in Grue (the municipal center referred to is Kirkenær)

Question 10: Saturday, August 3rd
Did you know that we have one of the world's longest wooden bridges in the #Kongsvinger region? Next to the bridge is a high-rise statue that is also said to be one of the largest of its kind in the world. Where are we and what does the statue symbolize?
Answer: Åsnes, Flisa bridge and the world's largest toothpicks and testify that Jordan has had a factory on Flisa for many years.

Question 11: Tuesday 6 August
Which lake in the #Kongsvinger region the sunset is reflected in here?
Answer: Storsjøen

Question 12: Thursday 8 August
#Glomma flows through large parts of the #Kongsvinger region. This is a bridge that is both loved and hated - where are we?
Answer: Sandstadbrua, Kirkenær, Grue

Question 13: Saturday, August 10rd
Here young and old can learn more about life on a farm and greet many farm animals. Where have we been visiting today?
Answer: Klokkertunet, Brandval. See opening hours for the visitor farm on their website.

Question 14: Monday 12 August
Several lakes in the #Kongsvinger region have names that end in "reien", which is an old
words for water or water collection. In Kongsvinger you will find the lakes #Tullreien and
#Bureien. The lake in the picture has the same ending and is close to the other two. What is the name of
the lake and where in Kongsvinger are the three neighboring lakes?
Answer: Steinreien, Lunderseter.

Question 15: Wednesday 14 August
If you visit this place this summer, you can see how glowing mass is magically shaped into reputable brands. Where have we been visiting this time?
Answer: Glass cabin, Magnor Glassworks

Question 16: Friday 16 August
Jumping in the hay, horseback riding, felting, throwing sticks and horse riding are just some of the activities young and old can enjoy at this place during the children's day on Sunday 25 August. Where is the image taken from?
Answer: Odalstunet, Sør-Odal. Children's day at Odalstunet: https://odalstunet.no/barnas-dag-2019

We have drawn four lucky participants who will receive a gift certificate for local food Skarstad Gartneri at Kongsvinger.

The four lucky participants are:

• Ulla-Mona Kauterud
• Harriet Krokstrand Bergersen
• Leikny Bekkevold
• Anne Marie Rustad Holseter

The value of the gift card is NOK 500, -. The winners will be contacted. We congratulations!

Feel free to follow Kongsvinger region on Facebook. This fall, we share several exciting stories from our district.

We wish you a nice late summer!

Arbaflame is now building its first commercial full-shell factory for the production of the company's patented wood pellets. The new factory at Grasmo in Eidskog will have an annual production capacity of 70 tonnes of pellets, which will be delivered to the French energy company Engie's coal power plant in Rotterdam. Klosser Innovation has assisted the company with facilitation and participation in R&D projects.

- We are now building our first full-scale factory, and thus mark that we are industrially in the process of being a perfect alternative to the coal power plants in the world that are looking for a coal-free and bio-based energy solution, says CEO of Arbaflame Bjørn Halvard Knappskog.

Norwegian-developed technology

The pellet factory is built on Norwegian-developed technology and will deliver on the contract Arbaflame recently signed with Engie for the annual delivery of up to 70 tonnes of pellets. The factory will cost NOK 000 million to build and has received support from Enova of NOK 200 million.

- We are now facing an industrial race with the establishment of more factories in the years to come. We have a mutual intention with Engie to get up to 200 tonnes of delivery as soon as possible, and then gradually increase to a capacity of up to 000 million tonnes, which is the amount the power plant needs for 1,8% renewable conversion, says Knappskog.

- For us, it has therefore been important that the world's first factory is built in Norway, both because it gives us valuable proximity to the project and the expertise, but also because the technology was actually invented and developed here, says Knappskog.

Works mostly with R&D in the Kongsvinger region

Ronny Olsson in Klosser Innovation says that Arbaflame's demonstration factory at Matrand in Eidskog municipality, is one of the companies that work most with R&D in the region.

- One of the Kongsvinger region's focus areas is increased utilization of the forest's resources, preferably with value creation locally. Arbaflame's work in R&D in the region is well strategic in relation to the Kongsvinger region and the hinterland. By-products from, among other things, sawmills are processed locally. Long-term agreements on deliveries to Europe secure existing jobs and new jobs are also created, says Olsson.

He further says that Klosser Innovation has over time assisted the company with project-related tasks. Among other things, Klosser has assisted with the work with new European environmental certification for the company and various R&D projects. Klosser Innovation has also led a project to set up its own production of sawdust at the company.

Reduces CO2 emissions at the coal-fired power plant in Rotterdam by 140 tonnes a year

Arbaflame's steam-treated pellets have almost the same properties as coal, are water-resistant and have a high energy density. The special properties mean that the cost of converting the coal-fired power plant is significantly reduced, which is a great advantage compared to alternative bio-products such as white pellets.

- It is a victory for the renewable investment in the Norwegian forest industry that we with Norwegian raw materials produced at our new factory will reduce CO2 emissions at the coal power plant in Rotterdam by approximately 140 tonnes a year, says CEO Knappskog.

Arbaflame has already carried out successful tests at 15 coal-fired power plants around the world, and recently received 180 million in EU support through the Horizon 2020 program to establish a demonstration plant at the same power plant.