By HDK / Published on Wed, 2009-09-09 06:41
Over the last few years a lot of test and full scale intelligent street lighting installations have been installed both in Oslo as well as other municipalities. The experience gained and the developed skill within the field has opened the way to a rapid increase of the market. The technical challenges are not all solved, but the systems can demonstrate high quality performance although there have been some challenges to overcome.
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By HDK / Published on Tue, 2009-08-18 16:18
This project demonstrates how the concept of “Sustainable Energy Communities” can become a reality without much additional effort in terms of costs and human resources. 3-NITY includes 28 communities in nine European countries.
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By Bruno De Wachter / Published on Thu, 2008-11-20 06:30
The problem of additionality
Green electricity sold by utility companies is a peculiar product. It guarantees the origin of your power, just like an ethical investment fund guarantees the origin of your profit, but what is the solid evidence for such a guarantee?
Guarantees of Origin (GoO) provide official proof that a certain amount of electricity has been generated by renewable sources. However, this system of accreditation was created before various kinds of state incentives for renewable energy came into being and complicated the situation with the problem of additionality.
The question of additionality is basically a question of whether the green power would have been produced anyway if the sale had not taken place. In most cases, additionality exists when the supply of electricity is generated over and above the requirement to meet existing legal obligations, or does not receive any state subsidies.
According to the website of Eugene Standard, most green power labels in Europe still do not include criteria for additionality – a system they view as 'greenwashing'. Even if additionality seems to be ensured in principle, there are still ways to escape it in practice.
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By Angelo Baggini / Published on Sat, 2008-08-30 09:00
Year: 2007
Policy Status: In force
The government's
white paper on climate policy contains proposals for concrete new measures to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions. The Government proposes substantial
cuts in emissions both in Norway and abroad. The country is to be
carbon neutral by 2050, which means that all remaining emissions will be set off against emissions in other countries. The Government will improve on Norway's commitment under the Kyoto Protocol by 10%, and plan to cut global emissions of greenhouse gases by the equivalent of
30% of its 1990 emissions by 2020. These targets will be achieved both by substantially reducing Norway's emissions and by paying for cuts in other countries. The whole of the extra 10% will be accounted for by reductions outside Norway
The white paper sets out a number of proposed measures for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Norway, including:
- Prohibiting landfilling of biodegradable waste from 2009.
- Prohibiting the installation of oil-fired boilers in new buildings as from 2009.
- Introducing a new scheme for supporting the conversion of oil-fired boilers to boilers using renewable energy.
- Increasing the capital of the fund for the promotion of energy efficiency measures and the use of renewable energy by up to NOK 10 billion by 2012.
- Taking targeted and coordinated measures to expand the production of bioenergy by up to 14 TWh.
- Continuing the efforts to improve public transport, including the efforts to improve rail transport.
The tax system will also be utilised to encourage environmentally friendly behaviour within a revenue-neutral framework.
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By Angelo Baggini / Published on Wed, 2008-08-27 09:00
Year: 2006
Policy Status: In force
Appointed by the Norwegian government on 11 March 2005, the Norwegian Commission on Low Emissions has been charged with the task of preparing scenarios of how Norway can reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases by 50 - 80% by 2050.
As presented to the Minister of the Environment on 4 October 2006, the Commission's Final Report detailed three strategies for energy efficiency:
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By Angelo Baggini / Published on Sun, 2008-08-24 09:00
Year: 2006
Policy Status: In force
NVE is in charge of the process of implementing the EU Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings.
Two central elements include certification of buildings and inspection of boilers and air conditioning systems.
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By Bruno De Wachter / Published on Thu, 2008-07-03 05:30
Improving technology, expansion offshore, and exploring the building sector potential
The wind sector has been growing spectacularly over the past decade. However, to sustain these impressive growth figures over the next twenty years in Europe and North America, business-as-usual will not be enough. In several European countries, the number of remaining onshore sites for building new wind farms is already declining (see interview with François and Benoît Henriet, 'Barriers for wind projects', on this blog). Maintaining current growth will require going off-hore, or at least off the beaten track.
- Some offshore wind farms are already in operation, but there is still huge potential — if the technology can overcome some of its current teething problems (see blog post 'How fast can we move?').
- Further expansion of the onshore potential is possible by scaling up existing wind farms in both size and efficiency; radical new design proposals are being put forward.
- Building-integrated wind turbines have both advocates and sceptics in regards to their potential to open up a completely new market.
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By Hans Nilsson / Published on Mon, 2008-02-25 08:00
If you are Norwegian you will be inclined to say “yes” and will be able to provide good technological evidence to support this stand-point. If you are not, you may be allowed the benefit of the doubt. Mind you, such doubt could be based on envy rather than facts, because there are facts to support a very optimistic view. Let us take a brief look at the evidence.
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By Bruno De Wachter / Published on Fri, 2006-10-27 05:32
An unprecedented national program for reducing greenhouse gas emissions
Norway has become a trailblazer in CO2 reduction. On 11th March 2005, the Norwegian government appointed a Commission on Low Emissions, whose task was to draw scenarios for reducing Norway’s greenhouse gas emissions by 50-80% by 2050. The Commission presented its final report to the Norwegian Minister of Environment, Helen Bjørnøy, on 4th October.
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By Hans Nilsson / Published on Fri, 2006-10-06 05:56
Statkraft in Norway has, for some time, developed concepts for osmotic power, i.e. the power from the differences in pressure between salt seawater and sweet freshwater, the latter passing through a membrane (see figure below).
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By Hans Nilsson / Published on Thu, 2006-06-08 05:47
As seen on this site there seems to be a connection between Human Development and electrification - up to a point, and 4000 kWh seems to be just enough. This "limit" is also compatible with the idea of a society with 2000W per capita as advocated by CEPE and Eberhard Jochem. It must, however, be remembered that several countries have developed their economies, during decades, based on their access to low-cost and abundant hydro power.
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By Hans De Keulenaer / Published on Thu, 2005-05-12 00:00
A new Power Quality Directive (PQD) developed by the Norwegian regulator was put into force January 1st 2005. The main purpose of the PQD is to ensure a satisfactory quality of supply in the Norwegian power system and contribute to a socio-economic rational operation, expansion and development of the power system, taking into account public and private interests that are affected.
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