Climate Action 2017-2018

POLICY
ELECTRIFYING
NORWAY
Vidar Helgesen, Minister of Climate
and Environment, Norway
What strikes foreigners on
the streets of Oslo is the
large number of Teslas and
other electric vehicles. Norway sells
the highest proportion of electric cars
in the world relative to the number of
inhabitants. Recently we celebrated
100,000 electric cars on Norwegian
roads, and if one looks at the most
popular models in the first half of 2017,
one has to look to the 10th spot to find a
conventional fossil-fuelled car.
In June 2017, the share of electric in new
car sales was 27.7 per cent. For the first
time, more electric and hybrid cars were
sold than diesel and gasoline cars. Our
electric cars policy attracts interest from
international media as well as politicians.
It might seem a paradox that Norway,
as a large oil and gas exporter, does
its best to reduce the use of fossil fuels
in transportation. Norway is, however,
blessed with both renewable and fossil
resources. While we export most of the
oil and gas, domestic power generation is
based on renewable energy sources. This
is, indeed, a unique situation, which we
will build upon in our policy to create a
low emission society.
During the last hundred years,
hydropower has paved the way for the
Norwegian economic and industrial
development. Small local rivers
brought power to small enterprises
and households. In addition, we have
developed large hydropower projects
that have made energy-intensive industry
in Norway a success. The renewable
share of the power generation mix
is 98 per cent, where 96.5 per cent
comes from hydropower. In Norway,
we have large hydropower reservoirs
and interconnectors to Sweden and the
Continent, allowing us to offer the Nordic
and European power markets backup
capacity when needed. The hydropower
system works very well together with
variable renewable energy sources like
wind power and solar PV.
Heating and transport still depend
on fossil fuels, and the total renewable
energy share in Norway is 69 per cent,
calculated in accordance with the EU
Renewable Directive. We will continue
our efforts to increase the use of
renewables in heating and transport. Use
of oil for heating will be phased out. We
have started electrifying Norway with
renewable energy sources.
The transport sector is key in reducing
greenhouse gases and increased energy
efficiency. Our technology shift to electric
cars is being achieved by offering
generous incentives. The problem right
All around the world, cities,
regions, businesses, and citizens
are taking a leading role in fighting
climate change.
Hydropower is the dominant source of
power generation in Norway
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