Portland–Denmark
Clean Industry Exchange

A Knowledge Exchange Program with Denmark

The City of Portland and the Portland Business Alliance are collaborating on a strategy to build Portland into a vibrant hub for clean industry innovation and advance a decarbonized, circular, and inclusive economy.

To support this initiative, CSI teamed up with our partner organization in Denmark, the Kalundborg Symbiosis, to successfully request funding from the Danish Energy Agency and the Scan Design Foundation to support a Clean Industry Knowledge Exchange between Portland and Denmark.

Portlanders visiting Denmark

Danish experts advising COR in Portland

"I appreciated the opportunity to learn from global leaders on clean energy and am looking for ways to bring back those concepts to Oregon"

Duncan Hwang, Oregon Metro Councilor

"Denmark is one of the best places for collaboration between government and private companies. They help each other succeed. The result is a country leading the world in fighting climate change."

Corky Collier, Columbia Corridor Industry Association

"We came back with a shared understanding and vision for an industrial sector that’s decarbonized, that’s circular and cleaner, and that benefits our regional economy and industry workers."

Portland Commissioner, Carmen Rubio

"The Denmark Study tour provides a invaluable opportunity to learn what is possible when public policy and business priorities align, and to lay the foundation to achieve this through relationship building."

Benton Strong, Vigor Industrial

"The study tour offered us an opportunity to imagine a future where government and industry work together to create the jobs of the future while solving the climate crisis."

John Wasiutynski, Director of Multnomah County's Office of Sustainability

"CSI's Knowledge Exchange provided us with a unique opportunity to learn about the incredible energy innovations happening in Denmark and to engage with colleagues moving those innovations forward..."

Joshua Basofin, Climate Solutions

"There is no substitute for seeing what you want to be and having all the right people in the room who, together, can assist in making it happen."

Jillian Schoene, Chief of Staff for Commissioner Rubio

The program included three components of work in 2022:

1. Denmark Study Tour: In June 2022, a delegation of two dozen public and private Portland-area leaders participated in a Clean Industry Study Tour of Denmark. Portland leaders learned from exemplary projects in Denmark and are bringing back valuable knowledge to apply to local industrial decarbonization and economic growth strategies.

2. Danish Experts Advise Portland Companies: During October 2022 a delegation of Danish experts visited Portland for a series of Clean Industry Week events to support efforts to make the City a “Clean Industry Innovation Hub.” They visited three major Portland industries, where they analyzed operations and shared recommendations for profitable decarbonization. From these consultations, Portland companies are expected to make significant private investments in new clean industry technologies and practices.

3. Ongoing Peer-to-Peer Learning: The Systemic Approach to Clean Industry group was formed to to train IS facilitators in the Americas to expand this approach internationally. The program included a series of virtual trainings for partners in the PNW (State Commerce and Public Works Board staff), Mexico (Jalisco), and Brazil (Rio de Janeiro); followed by a weeklong set of in-person trainings with Kalundborg Symbiosis in Denmark; and then a robust itinerary of symbiosis events in the PNW for a delegation of Danish and Brazilian SACI partners during Fall 2023.

Also in 2023, CSI worked with Metabolic and MSH Strategy to support the next stages of this effort, Portland's Clean Industry Assessment and Roadmap:

The Clean Industry Initiative was shaped by input from industrial businesses, climate and environmental justice advocates, labor representatives, researchers, government entities, and other key partners.

The initiative used a collaborative and data-driven approach to help us understand the current landscape of Portland’s industrial sector; identify opportunities for clean, decarbonized, and inclusive practices; and define a “roadmap” of next steps.

The assessment process provided insight into existing industrial practices and conditions. It also helped gather lessons learned from clean industry hub models from around the world as well as policy and finance tools.

The roadmap process engaged key partners to review findings and identify next steps. This work was led by Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability staff with a team of consultants and guided by a group of advisors representing diverse sectors and expertise.

View the findings:

Clean Industry Assessment Final Report

Consulate General of Denmark - Silicon Valley.png

Read the new Agriculture Symbiosis report and learn about the bipartisan Denmark Study Tour it has inspired!

Portland–Denmark Clean Industry Exchange

Portland–Denmark
Clean Industry Exchange