How a Norwegian valley transformed global agriculture through the power of falling water

Countries & Cities · Published 29 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In the early 20th century, a remote Norwegian valley became the epicenter of a new global industry. By harnessing massive hydroelectric power to fix atmospheric nitrogen, Norsk Hydro turned a sparsely populated region into a powerhouse of fertilizer production, forever changing how the Western world fed its growing population.

The Rjukan–Notodden Industrial Heritage Site, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2015, represents a unique fusion of dramatic natural landscapes and industrial ambition. Centered in Telemark, Norway, the complex was established to address the Western world’s urgent need for agricultural fertilizer. Before this, the global supply relied heavily on mined sodium nitrate, but the Birkeland–Eyde process—developed by scientist Kristian Birkeland and tycoon Sam Eyde—offered a revolutionary alternative. By using electric arc furnaces to heat nitrogen from the air, they created a scalable method for producing calcium nitrate.

The scale of the operation was unprecedented. To power these furnaces, Norsk Hydro constructed massive hydroelectric plants, including Svælgfos I, which was the second-largest in the world upon its completion. By 1911, the Vemork Hydroelectric Power Station surpassed all others to become the largest globally. The site’s infrastructure was comprehensive, spanning from Møsvatn lake to Notodden and including 97 culturally significant structures such as railways, train ferries, and purpose-built company towns designed to house and support the workforce.

The site’s technological evolution reflects the rapid industrial shifts of the early 1900s. While Norsk Hydro initially relied on the Birkeland–Eyde process, the industry was soon challenged by the Haber-Bosch method, discovered in 1909. Norsk Hydro famously resisted adopting this new process for years, even attempting to develop a lower-pressure ammonia alternative that ultimately failed in 1924. By 1927, the company finally collaborated with IG Farben to integrate the Haber-Bosch process, later pivoting to the Odda Process in the 1930s. Today, the Vemork plant serves as the Norwegian Industrial Workers Museum, preserving the legacy of an era that bridged the gap between traditional agriculture and modern industrial chemistry.

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