Meet our Partners: Ida-Viru Investment Agency

Ten partners from five different countries collaborate in the TETRAS project with the common goal of improving the economic and environmental sustainability of Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) in the Baltic Sea Region. TETRAS mission? To develop tools and standards to assess and monitor RAS and promote investment, implementation, and expansion of these production systems.

Today, let’s delve into the insights of Ida-Viru Investment Agency

Company/Organisation:Ida-Viru Investment Agency

Country: Estonia

Interviewee(s): Nele Rogenbaum

Website: https://ivia.ee/

Overview of Ida-Viru

Ida-Viru County, located in northeastern Estonia, is known for its rich cultural diversity, industrial heritage, and striking natural landscapes. The region is a unique blend of Estonian and Russian influences, reflecting its significant Russian-speaking population. Industrial towns like Narva and Kohtla-Järve are central to the county’s economy, driven historically by oil shale mining and energy production. Despite its industrial roots, Ida-Viru also boasts stunning natural attractions, including the Alutaguse National Park with its dense forests and bogs, the scenic cliffs along the Gulf of Finland, and the Narva River, which forms the border with Russia. The county is undergoing a transformation as it seeks to balance its industrial legacy with tourism and environmental sustainability efforts.

About Ida-Viru Investment Agency

Ida-Viru Investment Agency (IVIA) is a key organization dedicated to promoting economic growth and regional development in Ida-Viru County, Estonia. Its primary mission is to attract investment, support business development, and enhance the region’s economic potential by leveraging its strategic location, natural resources, and skilled workforce.

One of IVIA’s main activities is to facilitate foreign and domestic investment by offering tailored services to investors, including identifying potential investment opportunities, navigating legal and regulatory frameworks, constructing industrial parks, and providing support throughout the investment process. The agency works closely with local businesses, government authorities, and international partners to create a favorable business environment.

In addition to attracting investment, IVIA actively supports entrepreneurship and innovation in the region. It organizes various initiatives, such as business incubators, networking events, and seminars, aimed at fostering a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem. The agency also promotes sustainable development by encouraging investments in green energy, clean-tech, and other environmentally friendly sectors. By combining these efforts, Ida-Viru Investment Agency seeks to transform Ida-Viru County into a dynamic and prosperous region, attracting both businesses and talent.

The Aquaculture Sector in Ida-Viru County

The aquaculture sector in Ida-Viru County is an emerging industry with significant potential, driven by the region’s abundant water resources and growing interest in sustainable food production. The county’s extensive coastline along the Gulf of Finland, coupled with its numerous lakes and rivers, provides an ideal environment for aquaculture activities, including fish farming and the cultivation of other aquatic organisms.

The sector is relatively small but expanding, with investments focused on modernizing facilities and adopting innovative technologies to increase production efficiency and sustainability. Key species farmed in the region include trout, sturgeon, and other cold-water fish, which are well-suited to the local climate. The sector benefits from Estonia’s strong regulatory framework, which ensures high standards of environmental protection and product quality.

In addition to fish farming, there is also growing interest in cultivating algae and other marine plants, which have potential applications in food, cosmetics, and biofuels. Ida-Viru Investment Agency and other local stakeholders are actively promoting the aquaculture sector as part of broader efforts to diversify the county’s economy and reduce its reliance on traditional industries like oil shale mining. Overall, while still developing, the aquaculture sector in Ida-Viru County is poised for growth, offering opportunities for investment and innovation in sustainable food production.

Ida-Viru Investment Agency’s Involvement in Aquaculture

IVIA is involved in the aquaculture sector as part of its broader strategy to diversify and stimulate the region’s economy. IVIA recognizes the potential of aquaculture, particularly recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS), as a sustainable and innovative industry that can contribute to regional development.

IVIA’s involvement includes promoting Ida-Viru County as an attractive location for aquaculture investments. The agency supports potential investors by providing information on available sites, facilitating access to local resources, and offering guidance on regulatory requirements. IVIA also collaborates with research institutions, businesses, and government bodies to foster innovation and best practices in the aquaculture sector.

Recirculating aquaculture systems are of particular interest to IVIA due to their sustainability and efficiency. RAS technology allows for the farming of fish and other aquatic species in controlled environments, significantly reducing the need for large water bodies and minimizing environmental impact. This is especially important in Ida-Viru County, where environmental sustainability is a priority given the region’s industrial history. By supporting RAS and other advanced aquaculture methods, IVIA aims to attract investments that align with its goals of promoting green growth, creating jobs, and enhancing the region’s food security.

In summary, IVIA’s involvement in the aquaculture sector, and its focus on RAS, reflects the agency’s commitment to fostering sustainable economic development in Ida-Viru County, while leveraging the region’s natural resources and strategic location.

Ongoing Projects

IVIA is involved in projects that bring new businesses to Ida-Viru County and create jobs. For example, we are developing an industrial park with an airfield. It is specifically designed for small airplane maintenance and service companies, drone producers and the like. This is a completely new industry in the region and will attract foreign investments as well as bring specialists and experts to Ida-Viru.

Another one of IVIA’s development projects is film studios with a digital and multimedia incubator. Also, a completely new industry that we are creating in the region. This project aims to attract young talent as well as investments.

As for EU cooperation projects, IVIA is currently a partner in the Interreg TETRAS project, which aims to improve the economic and environmental sustainability of RAS by demonstrating how these systems can be placed strategically or combined with industrial processes to increase resource use efficiency while producing affordable and healthy food.

Site visit of EISAP in May 2024. Photo by N. Rogenbaum

Ida-Viru Investment Agency as part of the TETRAS project

What was your motivation to join TETRAS?

IVIA was invited to join because our Estonian Industrial Symbiosis Agropark project includes a RAS and we were interested to find out how or if a RAS farm can be connected to greenhouses via material flows.  Some of the TETRAS partners are top of the industry experts and have valuable insight into what we are trying to achieve.

Can you describe Pilot 3, which involves the early development of the Estonian Industrial Symbiosis Agro-Park (EISAP) and the best use of land and resources?

The Estonian Industrial Symbiosis Agropark (EISAP) is an early-stage development led by Ida-Virumaa Industrial Areas (IVIA), a public organization active in the east of Estonia which focuses on attracting investment into the area.

The core concept of the EISAP is industrial symbiosis. This means, that the agro park is designed to operate as a closed-loop system, where the resource use and waste/residual outputs of the various industries in the site are interlinked. One process’s waste or residual is another process’s resource. This approach promotes efficiency and circularity and helps minimize the ecological impact.

With the EISAP, IVIA intends to repurpose a former oil shale mine, an area with limited ecological value and low biodiversity. The land is located next to the Narva River and a power plant, which offers potential sources of water, excess heat, low-cost electricity, and CO2. By utilizing the residuals from the power plant (i.e. steam, CO2) in other processes, the power plant’s environmental impact would be improved.

The EISAP presents opportunities for the implementation of industrial symbiosis, smart energy grids, and circular economy principles. It also opens the possibility of new food industries such as alternative protein sources, and the utilization of innovative growing technologies beyond the scope of the standard greenhouse practices.

 As part of TETRAS, Pilot 3 will develop a feasibility study to analyse the use of available resources (water, energy) at the EISAP and strategies for optimal water use and management for designing a commercial RAS farm with greenhouses, other industries, and offices. The latter considers the site characteristics, available neighbouring services, infrastructure, and logistics. The focus of the pilot will be to clarify the risks and certainties of developing a fully circular agro-industrial park with a RAS as part of it. 

How have the industry and other stakeholders in the region responded to the goals of Pilot 3?

There is a lot of scepticism around what IVIA is trying to achieve. Building anything on the former surface-mined land is challenging, let alone greenhouses and a RAS farm. We have introduced the concept in several events and the response is always the same “it’s a nice idea, BUT…”.

What do you consider the main challenges related to recirculating aquaculture implementation in the region?

Implementing Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) in the Ida-Viru region presents several challenges, which must be addressed to ensure successful development and sustainability. Here are the main challenges:

• High initial cost of capital investment
• Technological complexity
• Energy consumption
• Water resource management
• Market access and competition
• Regulatory and environmental compliance
• Skilled workforce availability
• Public perception and acceptance

Addressing these challenges will require a coordinated effort involving investment in infrastructure, capacity building, and strong partnerships between the public and private sectors. Overcoming these hurdles is crucial for the sustainable growth of the RAS sector in Ida-Viru, making it a viable and environmentally responsible industry in the region.

How do you envision the RAS sector in Ida-Viru evolving over the next 5 to 10 years?

The RAS sector in Ida-Viru is poised for significant growth, driven by technological advancements, increased investment, and a focus on sustainability. Over the next 5 to 10 years, it could become a key economic driver for the region, contributing to job creation, economic diversification, and environmental stewardship. However, the sector’s success will depend on careful planning, investment in infrastructure and skills, and the ability to adapt to regulatory and market changes.

What outcomes or impacts do you hope to achieve through Pilot 3 and your involvement in the TETRAS project?

We hope to understand if, and on what conditions is it feasible to build a RAS farm to the region and if and how can the fish farm then be connected to the greenhouses via material flows.

Stay tuned for more information about Ida-Viru Investment Agency’s work as part of the TETRAS, as well as to learn more about our partners.

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