The Center Party will electrify the shelf: – Big man madness and symbolic measures, thunders FRP deputy leader Terje Søviknes.
Last week wrote The online newspaper a thing which summarized all the measures the parties want to implement to electrify Norway.
There, the leader of Unge Venstre, Sondre Hansmark, attracted attention when he spoke in favor of more wind power on land, and hammered away at parties that promise to electrify Norway without developing new renewable energy.
Les her: The parties want to electrify more and more: – The calculation does not work out
Hansmark believes that several parties are arguing fraudulently.
– There are several parties that want to stop the development of wind turbines and keep electricity prices low, at the same time as they want to electrify Norway. It is completely without credibility. The calculation does not work out, he said.
Now he gets support from an unexpected team: the Progress Party.
Frp agree with the calculation
FRP’s second deputy leader, Terje Søviknes, completely agrees with the logic of the Hansmark quote.
– It is not often I agree with a leftist, but here he is absolutely right in the problem, says Søviknes.
– Unfortunately, he misses the conclusion. Now we must stop this megalomania and all these symbolic measures. We do not save the climate by destroying Norwegian nature.
The new party programs show that the Liberal Party wants to invest in renewable energy, at the same time as they want to bring about an electrification of a number of sectors.
For its part, the FRP does not outline any concrete investments in electrification in its party program, other than to say that “increased use of new renewable energy sources can contribute to making energy use more flexible and contribute to increased value creation”.
Also read: Sylvi Listhaug defends Åge Hareide: – Freedom of expression is under pressure
They are also working against both onshore wind turbines and the electrification of oil platforms.
– Previous calculations have shown that it will require approximately 1600 new wind turbines to be able to electrify the shelf. Should we destroy Norwegian nature in the pursuit of implementing symbolic climate measures that will do nothing for the climate?
– 1600 wind turbines that destroy Norwegian nature while giving minimal effect on greenhouse gas emissions. I do not see that it is anything other than pure symbolic politics, Søviknes concludes.
The battle for the shelf
The Johan Sverdrup field, which was opened in October 2019, has the only electrified oil and gas platforms on the Norwegian shelf.
This is done by obtaining electricity from land through a power cable.
The Labor Party, the Conservative Party, the Socialist People’s Party, the Socialist People’s Party and the Liberal Party want to electrify more oil platforms. FRPs are strong opponents, partly because it risks leading to higher electricity prices.
An overview from the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate showed recently that a full electrification of the Norwegian shelf will cost the average household between 100 and 1200 kroner in increased annual electricity price, depending on where they live. It would be most expensive in the north.
– Electrification may look good on paper, but now we see that it has catastrophic consequences. Here, the Center Party is undressed, says Søviknes about Sp’s desire for electrification.
– On the one hand, they pretend they want cheaper electricity, on the other hand, they want to send a shock bill to Norwegian households. The Center Party must choose, they cannot be both for and against.
Will electrify with offshore wind
Earlier this spring it attracted attention when the Center Party voted against a FRP proposal in the Storting to say no to electrifying oil platforms from land.
Also read: FRP goes down the throat of the Center Party: – Will increase electricity prices
Center Party primary desire is to electrify the shelf with offshore wind. If it happens from land, it will not go beyond energy-intensive energy or electricity prices, Sandra Borch (Sp) said this spring.
With today’s advances in floating offshore wind technology, there will probably be no electrification of the shelf with offshore wind in time until 2030, which is the deadline for Norway’s next climate goal.
As far as offshore wind technology has come today, electrification of the shelf with offshore wind is still a highly theoretical exercise.
Q: – Not by force from land
– Terje Søviknes can start by examining the work he himself has done, Sandra Borch, who is the energy policy spokesperson in the Center Party, answers Søviknes, who was Minister of Petroleum and Energy from 2016 to 2018.
– Now they will suddenly start to think something about electrification, while when they were in government they meant nothing.
She is aware that Sp wants electrification of the shelf not to take place by force from land.
– We have said clearly and distinctly that electrification of the shelf should not take place with power from land. If it is to happen, it will happen with the projects that the oil industry has initiated on offshore wind.
– It does not happen tomorrow
– Electrification of the shelf with offshore wind is a long way off in the future, so you agree that it will not exactly happen tomorrow?
– No, but the oil package to the Storting, which the FRP also helped to adopt, suggested that emissions from the oil and gas industry should also be cut. Therefore, we must applaud the initiatives that the industry itself takes on offshore wind, Borch explains.
also read
Full dispute over emission-free zones in Oslo: – MDG is trying to kill the car
– I understand that it will not happen tomorrow, but we have companies that are in the driver’s seat and can help reduce emissions on the Norwegian shelf. Later, our technology can hopefully also be used abroad.
– But it is inappropriate to take it from land, where security of supply is at the breaking point now.
Will improve the power grid
– Do you agree with the Hansmark quote that it is dishonest to support the electrification of Norway and keep electricity prices low, if you do not develop more renewable energy?
– We have said that if we are to electrify the shelf, it will not happen with power from land. Much of it is about the transmission capacity that does not exist in parts of Norway. It is also important for us to keep electricity prices as low as possible. On wind turbines, we have fronted that the municipalities should be able to say no if they wish.
Hansmark means the general electrification of Norway, not just the shelf.
– This is where this government begins at the wrong end. Zero emissions are required before the infrastructure in Norway is in place. The power grid needs to be greatly improved.
– Should we produce more renewable energy?
– Yes, we have always said that we must look at the possibilities for that. But what is renewable energy? We must look at energy efficiency and also at hydropower. At the same time, the focus must be on supplying ourselves with power, and not focus on power cables abroad, which will increase the price of electricity.
The Storting election ends with election day on 13 September. Ordinary advance voting starts on 10 August.
–
