12 WHY NORWAY AS A GREEN BATTERY …
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conservation over energy production, but also organizations actively
advocating Norway as a green battery.
In the next subsections, we synthesize the empirical material from the
interviews and secondary sources from four loosely identified groups or
actors, environmentalists, industry (representing electricity consumers),
the power sector (electricity producers), and finally the political decisionmakers. As we shall see, the discussion around Norwegian climate and
energy policy is overwhelmingly nationally centered, and not significantly
about contributing to international climate solutions. To the extent that
the international level is relevant, it is through Europeanization from
EU regulations that impact national decision-making (e.g., the renewable
energy directive).
The Environmentalists
Among the actors that distinctly think of Norway in global terms, we find
environmental organizations like Bellona and Zero. Wind power installations and cable construction are applauded by Bellona and Zero for
contributing to a transition away from fossil fuels toward an energy system
based on renewable energy. Hence, Norway can contribute to a more
stable European grid that can more rapidly phase in renewable energy.
Einar Wilhelmsen of Zero (2018, interview) states that “we need to decarbonize the entire power sector, both in Norway and in the world. To
accomplish that, we need large amounts of new renewable production.”
While both organizations regret the local environmental cost, they favor
wind power expansion if the electricity is used not to increase Norwegian consumption, but to fuel the electrification of the transport sector
and the Norwegian Continental Shelf, in conjunction with subsea cables
to other countries. The sum of these measures would make Norwegian
wind power (and hydropower) a part of the European energy transition,
and Norway a green battery of sorts. Wilhelmsen emphasizes that Norway
has a lot of space and has the possibility to install wind power at a low
environmental cost.
The environmental movement is however not united. Large parts
of the environmental movement abhor wind power for its destruction
of ecosystems, habitat, and scenery. One of the largest environmental
organizations—Friends of the Earth Norway (Naturvernforbundet)—
articulated a phrase that has become ubiquitous among wind power
opponents: “We will not save the climate by destroying the nature,”
293
conservation over energy production, but also organizations actively
advocating Norway as a green battery.
In the next subsections, we synthesize the empirical material from the
interviews and secondary sources from four loosely identified groups or
actors, environmentalists, industry (representing electricity consumers),
the power sector (electricity producers), and finally the political decisionmakers. As we shall see, the discussion around Norwegian climate and
energy policy is overwhelmingly nationally centered, and not significantly
about contributing to international climate solutions. To the extent that
the international level is relevant, it is through Europeanization from
EU regulations that impact national decision-making (e.g., the renewable
energy directive).
The Environmentalists
Among the actors that distinctly think of Norway in global terms, we find
environmental organizations like Bellona and Zero. Wind power installations and cable construction are applauded by Bellona and Zero for
contributing to a transition away from fossil fuels toward an energy system
based on renewable energy. Hence, Norway can contribute to a more
stable European grid that can more rapidly phase in renewable energy.
Einar Wilhelmsen of Zero (2018, interview) states that “we need to decarbonize the entire power sector, both in Norway and in the world. To
accomplish that, we need large amounts of new renewable production.”
While both organizations regret the local environmental cost, they favor
wind power expansion if the electricity is used not to increase Norwegian consumption, but to fuel the electrification of the transport sector
and the Norwegian Continental Shelf, in conjunction with subsea cables
to other countries. The sum of these measures would make Norwegian
wind power (and hydropower) a part of the European energy transition,
and Norway a green battery of sorts. Wilhelmsen emphasizes that Norway
has a lot of space and has the possibility to install wind power at a low
environmental cost.
The environmental movement is however not united. Large parts
of the environmental movement abhor wind power for its destruction
of ecosystems, habitat, and scenery. One of the largest environmental
organizations—Friends of the Earth Norway (Naturvernforbundet)—
articulated a phrase that has become ubiquitous among wind power
opponents: “We will not save the climate by destroying the nature,”