Not Much Wind In Norway
By Paul Homewood
We’ve been discussing interconnectors with Norway, as a way of getting “clean, cheap, reliable energy”, according to a letter in today’s Telegraph from the Norwegian Wind Energy Association.
Much of the UK’s offshore wind industry is operated by Statoil and Statkraft, the state owned energy companies. It may come as some surprise, therefore, to learn that Norway itself produces no more than a pittance of wind power.
These are the primary energy consumption numbers from BP for last year:
http://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/energy-economics/statistical-review-of-world-energy.html
Renewable energy, which is virtually all wind, only accounts for 1.3% of total energy. (BP classify hydro separately).
In terms of electricity generation, wind contributes just 1.7%.
It seems that Statoil and Statkraft are very partial to UK subsidies, but don’t rate wind power enough to build them at home!
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NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT 
Damned clever these Norwegians!!!
With so much hydro, Norway doesn’t need windmills.
Denmark gives away its frequently-surplus wind-generated power, and then buys some of its power back at inflated prices during lulls.
Comment posted via phone, without reading comments by Gerry, England & 1saveenergy on Hornsea post.
The unexpected release of Climategate emails in 2009 forced nations to openly work together to continue to hide reality from the public:
http://ierj.in/journal/index.php/ierj/article/view/409/386
Clean, cheap, reliable…they forgot “in significant amounts”!
Or maybe they’d just rather not mention that…
Did you mean insignificant amounts???
‘Not Much Wind In Norway’
Because Norway doesn’t need ‘Much Wind In Norway’
Logically assessing natural resources and have developed an infrastructure not only maximising their efficiencies but also taking advantage of the political intransigence of neighbours! What is not to like and applaud?
It is true we lack Norway’s geographical topography, but that is a mere trifle when addressing the illogical intransigence presently dictating UK energy policy.
Suppose being owned by Norway can’t be all that bad? Just totally and simply unnecessary
Great stuff as usual, Paul. Here’s a link to a 2005 report outlining the quite blatant dis-engineering of UK hydro capability (note the author…):
How large hydro edged into subsidy
DURING CONSULTATION on New Labour’s renewable energy policy and the Renewables Obligation, which ran from March 1999 to March 2001, government and stakeholders alike agreed that existing large hydro-power stations should, as a mature and profitable technology, be excluded from the subsidies regime.
However, after consultation closed, hydro generators pressed the government to reverse its decision, citing ageing plant and poor trading conditions.
Two major changes were subsequently made to the regulations, both of benefit exclusively to large generators. The first, which eased the qualification criteria for subsidies to include all hydro-power stations under 20 MW, was made public.
The second, which was all-but hidden from public view and did not generally come to light until 2004, brought an even larger portion of the UK’s hydro portfolio into the scheme. It authorised owners to cut the capacity of turbines to bring them below the declared qualification limit.
Click to access Subsidies_and_Subterfuge.pdf
O/T, but it seems that the need to bang on about climate change now infects all part of the BBC,not just the usual suspects in their so-called “Science & Environment” team. Here’s the latest from Justin Rowlatt, South Asia correspondent, under the heading “India climate: What do drowning rhinos and drought tell us?”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-36989173
The Beeb propaganda is as relentless as ever.
There are lessons in this somewhere. Everywhere.
The fact that the Norwegians are rich and could absorb wind intermittency better than almost any other country and have not done so in the world speaks volumes about their sense. Their investment in the UK’s gravy train is further proof of their business acumen.
Swedes have always joked about the Norwegians being thick, but the proof of the pudding is there for all to see now: I’d rather be Norwegian myself (if I was not British of course).