12 WHY NORWAY AS A GREEN BATTERY …
289
The Norwegian Renewable Electricity Potential
The idea of Norway as a green battery draws on the utilization of Norwegian renewable energy resources. How substantial are these resources?
The Norwegian energy situation is privileged. Norway may be known
as a petroleum country, but the petroleum is for exports, not domestic
consumption. 3 91% of all electricity is generated by hydropower; 98–99%
is renewable (NVE 2020a). Abundant hydroelectric power was Norway’s
original key to energy, industrialization, and wealth. Norwegian industrialization, from the early twentieth century onward, rested on the
exploitation of waterfalls for hydroelectric power. By the 1960s, between
a third and a half of all Norwegian waterways were regulated (Jansen and
Mydske 1998). The 1950s and 1960s saw the rise of a hydro-industrial
complex, resulting from the political prioritization of abundant electricity at reasonable prices for households and Norway’s energy-intensive
industries (Christiansen 2002; Midttun 1988).
Consequently, Norway has the world’s seventh-largest hydroelectric
production. In a “normal” year, hydropower yields 130–140 TWh, with a
record of 149 TWh from 2016 (Energifaktanorge 2020c). Compared to
Denmark’s much-lauded wind power, Norwegian hydropower generates
almost ten times as much electricity. Norway also holds roughly 50% of
Europe’s hydro storage capacity and a total of 32 GW of hydropower
(NVE 2020a; Statkraft 2016). Head of Statnett, Auke Lont, in 2014
predicted that by 2030 as much as 20–25% of German electricity might
come from Norway (TU 2014). In other words, Norway’s contribution
would be significant, but hardly enough for a green battery for all of
Europe. The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE)
estimates the economic potential of new hydropower to 23.2 TWh, with
14.6 TWh deemed realistic (NVE 2020b). The technical potential is
far higher, at 600 TWh, but this is neither economically nor politically
feasible. In 2001, Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg (Labor Party) stated
that the time for major hydropower developments had passed, a statement
reiterated by succeeding Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik (Christian
Democratic Party) (Moe 2016; Regjeringen.no 2001). Since then, electricity demand has however kept increasing, requiring Norway to find
solutions beyond hydropower.
The wind power potential is also huge, both on land and offshore,
with a technical potential of 1400 TWh (NVE 2020b), but it is unclear
how much is politically and economically feasible. In 2006, Buen (2006)
289
The Norwegian Renewable Electricity Potential
The idea of Norway as a green battery draws on the utilization of Norwegian renewable energy resources. How substantial are these resources?
The Norwegian energy situation is privileged. Norway may be known
as a petroleum country, but the petroleum is for exports, not domestic
consumption. 3 91% of all electricity is generated by hydropower; 98–99%
is renewable (NVE 2020a). Abundant hydroelectric power was Norway’s
original key to energy, industrialization, and wealth. Norwegian industrialization, from the early twentieth century onward, rested on the
exploitation of waterfalls for hydroelectric power. By the 1960s, between
a third and a half of all Norwegian waterways were regulated (Jansen and
Mydske 1998). The 1950s and 1960s saw the rise of a hydro-industrial
complex, resulting from the political prioritization of abundant electricity at reasonable prices for households and Norway’s energy-intensive
industries (Christiansen 2002; Midttun 1988).
Consequently, Norway has the world’s seventh-largest hydroelectric
production. In a “normal” year, hydropower yields 130–140 TWh, with a
record of 149 TWh from 2016 (Energifaktanorge 2020c). Compared to
Denmark’s much-lauded wind power, Norwegian hydropower generates
almost ten times as much electricity. Norway also holds roughly 50% of
Europe’s hydro storage capacity and a total of 32 GW of hydropower
(NVE 2020a; Statkraft 2016). Head of Statnett, Auke Lont, in 2014
predicted that by 2030 as much as 20–25% of German electricity might
come from Norway (TU 2014). In other words, Norway’s contribution
would be significant, but hardly enough for a green battery for all of
Europe. The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE)
estimates the economic potential of new hydropower to 23.2 TWh, with
14.6 TWh deemed realistic (NVE 2020b). The technical potential is
far higher, at 600 TWh, but this is neither economically nor politically
feasible. In 2001, Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg (Labor Party) stated
that the time for major hydropower developments had passed, a statement
reiterated by succeeding Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik (Christian
Democratic Party) (Moe 2016; Regjeringen.no 2001). Since then, electricity demand has however kept increasing, requiring Norway to find
solutions beyond hydropower.
The wind power potential is also huge, both on land and offshore,
with a technical potential of 1400 TWh (NVE 2020b), but it is unclear
how much is politically and economically feasible. In 2006, Buen (2006)