Abstract
This report is an output from the INTRANSIT Research Centre on Innovation Policy for
Industrial Transformation, Sustainability and Digitalisation. The report presents an
analysis of green and digital transformations in five Norwegian industrial sectors: oil
and gas, maritime, aquaculture, manufacturing and process industries. By drawing on
perspectives from innovation and sustainability transition studies, we analyse how the
industrial sectors respond to green and digital pressures as well as opportunities. Our
results show that while a green transformation is gathering momentum in the maritime
sector, little radical change has yet taken place in various other sectors. Meanwhile, the
thrust driving digitalization is often connected to increasing cost-efficiency and
competitiveness in global markets. However, in the aquaculture sector, digital
technologies are often applied to solve environmental and fish health issues. Green and
digital transformations in industrial sectors may thus have points of interaction, leading
to complementary, but occasionally also conflicting, developments. Based on empirical
findings we draw insights for green and digital transformation policy, and take note on
how COVID-19 pandemic may affect such transformations.
Industrial Transformation, Sustainability and Digitalisation. The report presents an
analysis of green and digital transformations in five Norwegian industrial sectors: oil
and gas, maritime, aquaculture, manufacturing and process industries. By drawing on
perspectives from innovation and sustainability transition studies, we analyse how the
industrial sectors respond to green and digital pressures as well as opportunities. Our
results show that while a green transformation is gathering momentum in the maritime
sector, little radical change has yet taken place in various other sectors. Meanwhile, the
thrust driving digitalization is often connected to increasing cost-efficiency and
competitiveness in global markets. However, in the aquaculture sector, digital
technologies are often applied to solve environmental and fish health issues. Green and
digital transformations in industrial sectors may thus have points of interaction, leading
to complementary, but occasionally also conflicting, developments. Based on empirical
findings we draw insights for green and digital transformation policy, and take note on
how COVID-19 pandemic may affect such transformations.