FROM OIL TO WIND IN NORWAY

Syllogism: (A) Norway has tremendous wind resources. (B) Norway gets only 1% of its electricity from wind. (C) Norway is: (a) anxious to aggravate global climate change and turn the country into a vacation paradise? (b) too brain-numbed by frigid weather and long winter nights to build wind turbines? (c) too rich with oil? (d) just getting busy with wind.

The answer is (d). Oil supplies are peaking and the Norwegians know it. There are 15 wind installations now operating and 150 authorized or waiting for permits.

The nation has traditionally obtained 99% of its electricity from its enormous hydroelectric resources but it has other plans for its wind. Liv Monica Stubholdt, Deputy Petroleum and Energy Minister, Norway: "The government's ambition is to become a net exporter of renewables and that cannot happen if we do not develop…"

Because of these ambitions, the government and StatoilHydro, the national energy company, are taking on more responsibility in the financing.

Jan Fredrik Stadaas, head of the New Energy Wind division, StatoilHydro:"This is a very capital intensive industry ... You need price and incentive schemes to make it profitable…"

There is a boom in Norway in wind technology development and Norwegians are doing serious experiments with wind energy storage and with deepwater, floating turbines.

On a small windy southwestern island where just 2 turbines generate more power than residents need, Norwegian oil and energy giant StatoilHydro is leading a groundbreaking experiment in making hydrogen with wind and storing it in fuel cells.

Halgeir Oeya, head, hydrogen technology unit: "This system allows us to deliver power with expected quality and reliability (and) the only emission is oxygen…"

Results are years off, but the Norwegians are playing catch-up and want to get ahead of the curve. That’s why they are also putting their experience with offshore oil and gas platforms to work, developing deepwater floating wind turbines capable of enormous capacities.

Jan Fredrik Stadaas, head of the New Energy Wind division, StatoilHydro: "Offshore makes sense in a way. It is our area of competence…"

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Oil powered Norway gradually turns into the wind
May 11, 2008 (AFP)

WHO
Liv Monica Stubholdt, Deputy Petroleum and Energy Minister, Norway; Norwegian environmental group Bellona (Ane Brunvoll, renewable energy expert)

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WHAT
Norway is beginning to study its wind assets. It intends to develop its wind resources as thoroughly and responsibly as it has developed its offshore oil resources.

WHEN
- The hydrogen fuel cell experiment is, as always, “years away…”
- Wind installation construction is booming.
- Floating deepwater turbines are still experimental.

Nobody is likely to be better at this kind of job than the Norwegians. (click to enlarge)

WHERE
- The Norwegian government is especially anxious to incentivize offshore wind development and is considering auctioning blocks of North Sea territory to private developers as it has its offshore oil resources.
- The 6-square-km island of Utsira, off Norway's southwestern coast, is a proving ground for wind innovation.

WHY
- Utsira’s 2 small turbines provide more electricity than its 210 residents can use.
- Excess wind is being used to make and store hydrogen.
- Bellona calculates Norway has an annual 14,000 terawatt-hour wind energy capacity while its oil and gas industry, the 5th biggest in the world, only produces 2,300 terawatt-hours a year.

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QUOTES
- Liv Monica Stubholdt, Deputy Petroleum and Energy Minister, Norway: "Wind-mapping shows that ... Norway is among the (world's) most ideal locations for wind power, both on the coast and offshore…"
- Ane Brunvoll, renewable energy expert, Bellona: "The government should dare to spend much more to promote wind than they do…"