282 E. MOE ET AL.
Stoltenberg (Labor Party) waxed lyrical about the vision of Norway as a
rechargeable battery for Europe (TV2 2011). The term rapidly became
an established part of the Norwegian energy policy vernacular, but also
came to signify different things to different actors. As this chapter demonstrates, some embrace it for contributing to an energy transition, others
believe that it distorts the debate by suggesting that Norway has unlimited amounts of power to spare, whereas others again object that industrial
actors actively use it to greenwash strategies that they would have pursued
regardless.
From a climate perspective, the green battery metaphor looks tremendously attractive. The idea is one of utilizing Norwegian hydropower and
wind resources to contribute to a European energy transition. Because
renewable energy is intermittent, storage capacity is necessary for when
the sun does not shine, and the wind does not blow. Norway’s reservoirs hold roughly half of Europe’s hydro storage capacity. The country
has some of the greatest renewable energy resources in Europe, both
existing (hydropower) and potential (wind power, especially offshore)
and domestic consumption of electricity are derived almost solely from
hydropower. In a climate perspective, it would be akin to environmental
folly not to exploit the resources that exist on Norwegian territory.
There are two obvious hurdles to be overcome for the battery scenario
to be realized. First, the potential of Norway as a green battery can only
come to fruition if Norway integrates more closely with the European
Continent, i.e., builds interconnectors in the shape of subsea cables for
electricity exports. Second, the wind power potential must be harnessed,
so that Norwegian renewable electricity production can be increased.
The political feasibility of Norway as a green battery was explored by
Anne Therese Gullberg in 2013. She found that while Norwegian politicians were by and large positively inclined to selling surplus renewable
energy at a profit, there was no willingness to invest in the infrastructure
required to transform the country from a minor electricity exporter to a
green battery. Rather, renewable electricity exports would be a logical
response to electricity demand from the continent, and subsea cables
would only be built if deemed socially profitable.
Since 2013, a lot has however changed. Take Germany: in 2013,
Germany derived 13% of its electricity from wind and solar power, against
well above 30% today. Globally, wind power capacity has more than
doubled. The EU’s renewable energy consumption has increased, and the
Union has intensified its efforts to create an energy union with an internal
Stoltenberg (Labor Party) waxed lyrical about the vision of Norway as a
rechargeable battery for Europe (TV2 2011). The term rapidly became
an established part of the Norwegian energy policy vernacular, but also
came to signify different things to different actors. As this chapter demonstrates, some embrace it for contributing to an energy transition, others
believe that it distorts the debate by suggesting that Norway has unlimited amounts of power to spare, whereas others again object that industrial
actors actively use it to greenwash strategies that they would have pursued
regardless.
From a climate perspective, the green battery metaphor looks tremendously attractive. The idea is one of utilizing Norwegian hydropower and
wind resources to contribute to a European energy transition. Because
renewable energy is intermittent, storage capacity is necessary for when
the sun does not shine, and the wind does not blow. Norway’s reservoirs hold roughly half of Europe’s hydro storage capacity. The country
has some of the greatest renewable energy resources in Europe, both
existing (hydropower) and potential (wind power, especially offshore)
and domestic consumption of electricity are derived almost solely from
hydropower. In a climate perspective, it would be akin to environmental
folly not to exploit the resources that exist on Norwegian territory.
There are two obvious hurdles to be overcome for the battery scenario
to be realized. First, the potential of Norway as a green battery can only
come to fruition if Norway integrates more closely with the European
Continent, i.e., builds interconnectors in the shape of subsea cables for
electricity exports. Second, the wind power potential must be harnessed,
so that Norwegian renewable electricity production can be increased.
The political feasibility of Norway as a green battery was explored by
Anne Therese Gullberg in 2013. She found that while Norwegian politicians were by and large positively inclined to selling surplus renewable
energy at a profit, there was no willingness to invest in the infrastructure
required to transform the country from a minor electricity exporter to a
green battery. Rather, renewable electricity exports would be a logical
response to electricity demand from the continent, and subsea cables
would only be built if deemed socially profitable.
Since 2013, a lot has however changed. Take Germany: in 2013,
Germany derived 13% of its electricity from wind and solar power, against
well above 30% today. Globally, wind power capacity has more than
doubled. The EU’s renewable energy consumption has increased, and the
Union has intensified its efforts to create an energy union with an internal