How GC Rieber Confronted Climate Headaches
Pioneering Sustainable Energy Solutions: GC Rieber Vivomega's Journey to Renewable Energy
GC Rieber Vivomega, a leading producer of fish oil, faced a significant challenge in their production process. While they used 30% of the raw materials for their product, the remaining 70% was burned and converted to energy. This practice, involving the burning of biodiesel, was not environmentally friendly as it could otherwise be used in alternative ways such as fish feed.

​Shifting Tides: GC Rieber's Renewable Energy Transition
A Collaborative Journey with Vivomega and the 2030 Startuplab Program
GC Rieber's team proposed this as a climate headache in the first ever year of the 2030 Startuplab program, where we put together an interdisciplinary team of researchers, students and system dynamics experts to tackle it together with internal champions from Vivomega. The team spent three days working together, and came up with a great solution. By replacing the burning of biofuel with electricity, they proposed to transition the omega-3 facilities to use 100% renewable energy. This shift involved replacing an oil boiler with an electric steam boiler powered by green hydropower. However, green hydropower was not available at the time, and the team was informed that they had to wait a few years to implement the suggested solution. Jump to 2024, and the time is finally right to introduce renewable energy into the mix. This bold move not only reduced emissions at their factory but also contributed to reducing emissions in Bergen. The available biofuel can now be sold to the shipping industry as a replacement for high-emission crude oil.

Aligning with Environmental Commitments: Norway's Path to Renewable Energy Leadership
GC Rieber's switch to renewable energy sources aligns with Norway’s commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable practices. By embracing the circular economy, the previously used fish oil now contributes to the food chain, demonstrating the potential of innovative partnerships between startups and corporations in tackling climate challenges.