International Developments
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emissions are from transportation in Norway. The pollutants PM2.5 and
nitrogen oxides are of greatest concern (UNEP, 2016). The incentives to purchase zero- emission vehicles include the use of bus lanes, toll- free travel,
privileged parking (Hockenos, 2017), and exemptions from sales, import,
and road taxes (Chappell, 2019). Wood burning for heating is an important
source of emissions in the winter (NILU, 2017).
Norway is currently the leading country in terms of the percentage of
automobiles that are plug- in electric vehicles, and, per capita, Oslo has the
most electric vehicles in the world (UN, 2018). In March 2019, 58% of new car
sales were EVs (Chappell, 2019). Because of the success of incentives to drive
EVs, greenhouse gas emissions have decreased by 35% since 2012, as of 2018,
with a goal of 95% reduction by 2030 (UN, 2018). In Norway, there is great
progress being made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving
air quality (UN, 2018; NEA, 2018). Both PM2.5 and nitrogen oxides in urban
cities in Norway have declined because of the increased percentages of EVs
in Norway (NEA, 2018).
In Norway, most of the electricity is generated with hydropower. There are
about 1000 storage reservoirs in Norway, and the amount of power generation can be increased or decreased to meet demand. There is also power generation associated with river flow, which cannot be increased or decreased to
the same extent as that in reservoirs (EF, 2019). As of early 2018, Norway
had 1660 hydropower plants, with 31,837 MW of installed capacity, which
is 96% of all installed capacity. About 75% of production capacity is flexible,
and Norway has been an exporter of electricity for much of the time. In 2016,
about 10% of the generation (16.5 TWH) was exported (IHA, 2017).
At the end of 2017, Norway had 33 wind farms with 1188 MW of installed
capacity, and additional wind farms were under construction (EF, 2019).
There were 32 thermal power plants as of 2017, with 1108 MW of installed
capacity. Fuels include municipal and industrial waste, natural gas, oil, and
coal (EF, 2019).
Norway has electric buses, electric taxis, and plans for an all- electric ferry
(Manthey, 2018; Hanley, 2019). There are goals to have all public transportation be powered by electricity and for Oslo to be a zero- emissions city by 2030
(Hanley, 2019). All taxis are to be zero- emission vehicles in the future as well.
References
Badstuber, N. (2019, April 8). London’s new charge on polluting vehicles. Here is
everything you need to know. World Economic Forum; www.weforum.org/
Cai, S., Wang, Y., Zhao, B. et al. (2017). The impact of the “Air Pollution Prevention
and Control Action Plan” on PM2.5 concentrations in Jing- Jin- Ji region during
2012– 2020. Science of the Total Environment 580: 197– 209.
125
1 2 5
emissions are from transportation in Norway. The pollutants PM2.5 and
nitrogen oxides are of greatest concern (UNEP, 2016). The incentives to purchase zero- emission vehicles include the use of bus lanes, toll- free travel,
privileged parking (Hockenos, 2017), and exemptions from sales, import,
and road taxes (Chappell, 2019). Wood burning for heating is an important
source of emissions in the winter (NILU, 2017).
Norway is currently the leading country in terms of the percentage of
automobiles that are plug- in electric vehicles, and, per capita, Oslo has the
most electric vehicles in the world (UN, 2018). In March 2019, 58% of new car
sales were EVs (Chappell, 2019). Because of the success of incentives to drive
EVs, greenhouse gas emissions have decreased by 35% since 2012, as of 2018,
with a goal of 95% reduction by 2030 (UN, 2018). In Norway, there is great
progress being made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving
air quality (UN, 2018; NEA, 2018). Both PM2.5 and nitrogen oxides in urban
cities in Norway have declined because of the increased percentages of EVs
in Norway (NEA, 2018).
In Norway, most of the electricity is generated with hydropower. There are
about 1000 storage reservoirs in Norway, and the amount of power generation can be increased or decreased to meet demand. There is also power generation associated with river flow, which cannot be increased or decreased to
the same extent as that in reservoirs (EF, 2019). As of early 2018, Norway
had 1660 hydropower plants, with 31,837 MW of installed capacity, which
is 96% of all installed capacity. About 75% of production capacity is flexible,
and Norway has been an exporter of electricity for much of the time. In 2016,
about 10% of the generation (16.5 TWH) was exported (IHA, 2017).
At the end of 2017, Norway had 33 wind farms with 1188 MW of installed
capacity, and additional wind farms were under construction (EF, 2019).
There were 32 thermal power plants as of 2017, with 1108 MW of installed
capacity. Fuels include municipal and industrial waste, natural gas, oil, and
coal (EF, 2019).
Norway has electric buses, electric taxis, and plans for an all- electric ferry
(Manthey, 2018; Hanley, 2019). There are goals to have all public transportation be powered by electricity and for Oslo to be a zero- emissions city by 2030
(Hanley, 2019). All taxis are to be zero- emission vehicles in the future as well.
References
Badstuber, N. (2019, April 8). London’s new charge on polluting vehicles. Here is
everything you need to know. World Economic Forum; www.weforum.org/
Cai, S., Wang, Y., Zhao, B. et al. (2017). The impact of the “Air Pollution Prevention
and Control Action Plan” on PM2.5 concentrations in Jing- Jin- Ji region during
2012– 2020. Science of the Total Environment 580: 197– 209.