Energy transition: Norway in a few totally crazy figures

A report published in 2022 by the International Energy Agency (IEA) shows that, in terms of energy consumption, Norway occupies a unique place in the world. Electricity indeed accounts for nearly half of the country's total consumption, the highest share among IEA member countries. This electricity consumption is mainly based on sustainable resources, notably thanks to the vast amounts of hydroelectric power available in Norway. Currently 92% of Norway's electricity needs are covered by hydropower, with an installed capacity of 1,441 MW spread across hundreds of small plants (figures from 2023). Representing 3.2% of global hydropower production and 21.3% of Europe's, Norway ranks 7th worldwide and is the European leader in hydropower production.

To address climate challenges, Norway aims to reduce its overall energy consumption by 30% by 2030 compared with 2015. The government is focusing its efforts on the industrial sector, which is the most energy-intensive at 44% of total consumption. Energy efficiency initiatives and the replacement of fossil fuels with renewable energy receive significant state support. In the building sector, which accounts for 34% of energy consumption, Norway also aims to reduce consumption by 10 terawatt-hours (TWh) by 2030 compared with 2015 levels.

Off the west coast of Norway, eleven giant turbines form the impressive Hywind Tampen farm, the largest in the world, providing the Scandinavian country with a capacity of 88 megawatts (MW). For several years, Norway has been investing heavily in wind power, with a particular emphasis on offshore wind. The goal is to reach 30 gigawatts by 2040, which would not only double current electricity production but also significantly reduce pollution generated by its gas and oil industry. The MW produced by Hywind Tampen are specifically intended to cover part of the needs of five platforms in the North Sea, whose infrastructures currently run on diesel or gas. Their electrification will allow Norway to reduce the carbon impact of its oil operations.

Here is the whole paradox of Norway: although it aspires to be a model of green growth, its role in fossil fuel exploitation remains highly significant. With vast reserves of oil and natural gas, it exports most of them. According to the IEA, this energy wealth allows the Scandinavian country to export 87% of its energy production. Currently, Norway ranks seventh in the world for natural gas production, supplying 3% of global consumption, and its oil accounts for 2.3% of world production. This situation angers environmental advocates. "Because of the importance of hydropower here, Norway exports almost all its fossil fuel production, to the point of becoming one of the world's largest exporters. Despite our fine environmental rhetoric and our supposed success story with electric cars, we directly contribute to the problem of climate change," said Frode Pleym, leader of Greenpeace Norway, in the pages of the Canadian daily Le Devoir.

Despite criticism of its oil industry, Norway does not plan to reduce its activities in this sector. On the contrary, projects worth more than 200 billion Norwegian kroner (17 billion euros) are currently under development. Last year, the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy approved 19 oil and gas projects, representing a total value of more than 200 billion kroner. This funding aims not only to increase the capacities of existing installations but also to build three new infrastructures to exploit new fields. However, under pressure from the NGOs Greenpeace and Natur og Ungdom, a Norwegian court decision temporarily suspended the development of these three new fields, pending a final ruling on the validity of the exploitation licenses. This suspension was hailed as "a total victory for the climate against the Norwegian state" by Frode Pleym, leader of Greenpeace Norway, in a statement to AFP.