The billions spent on electricity support should have been used differently, two experts believe.
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– The power support is like taking painkillers. It hurts less now, but it doesn’t solve the underlying problem.
That’s what current researcher Olvar Bergland at Norway’s University of the Environment and Life Sciences tells VG.
He receives support from research colleague Magnus Korpås at NTNU.
Both the two researchers point out that Norway will need more electricity in the coming years, partly because we will get more electric vehicles and need a lot of electricity for battery factories.
– Unless we come up with some major power developments, then we will have critical situations more and more often. Simply because we need even more electricity, but have virtually no plans for power development, says NTNU professor Korpås.
He points out that onshore wind power seems to be politically dead and that offshore wind power is a long way off.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre has previously pointed out that the electricity crisis could be prolonged.
–– Solar panels on all roofs in southern Norway
Both Korpås and Bergland say that we should now invest more in solar cells to ensure that Norway has better access to electricity in the future.
– What is now stopping us from expanding solar panels on all roofs in southern Norway? asks Korpås rhetorically.
– Right now we are giving billions in electricity support. What if you had instead used parts of this to improve the situation in the long term? For example, we could use the money from the electricity subsidy to support people who put solar cells on the roof, says Bergland.
– But isn’t Norway a very sunny country?
– The most important thing that solar power does is that it will provide us with electricity in the summer. This means that the water reservoirs do not have to be drained, and this way we get more hydropower in the winter, explains Korpås.
He also says that solar panels provide power already from late February/early March, and thus also contribute in the cold months.
–– Support those who switch to a heat pump at home
Korpås says that all stones must be turned now, to ensure that Norway has enough electricity in the future.
Among the things the government should work towards is that everyone uses less electricity, the two researchers believe.
Bergland says that not enough is being done to facilitate this as of today.
– The electricity subsidy could have gone to support those who switch to a heat pump at home. If you go from a panel oven to a heat pump, you save a lot of electricity, says Bergland.
– Something the government wants to focus on
State Secretary Elisabeth Sæther (Ap) in the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy says the following to VG:
– It is clear that energy efficiency can help reduce the need for new power generation and reduce people’s electricity bills. Efficient use of energy also helps to facilitate energy transition and climate cuts in other sectors. So this is certainly something the government will focus on.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre announced on Wednesday that work is being done to improve the electricity support scheme.
– Efficient use of energy is important for the electricity price crisis in the short and long term. In addition, we sent proposals to expand the plus customer scheme for housing associations and commercial buildings for consultation before the summer. The proposal will make it more profitable to sell solar energy from your own panel and thus make solar cells attractive to more people, says Sæther.
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