The Norwegian Directorate of Waterways and Energy (NVE) has been commissioned by the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy to identify new areas for renewable energy production at sea. On Tuesday, the work will be presented to the Minister of Oil and Energy at a press conference in Oslo. Must be investigated further A broadly composed directorate group led by NVE has identified 20 areas for offshore wind, which are recommended to be investigated further. These are areas that are technically suitable for offshore wind, and where conflicts of interest are relatively low. In the further process, thorough impact assessments will be carried out to further narrow down the areas. – Together with several directorates and specialist communities, we have identified 20 sea areas with good wind resources, where the conflicts of interest between the environment, fisheries and other industries are relatively low, says watercourses and energy director Kjetil Lund in a press release. NVE director Kjetil Lund. Photo: Catchlight/NVE These are areas along the entire coast, from Skagerak in the south to the Barents Sea in the north. – These sea areas should now be investigated in more detail to find the areas that are best suited for offshore wind, he says. Lund emphasizes that nothing has been decided. The areas must be investigated in more detail to find the areas that are best suited for offshore wind. The areas that are now pointed to are in addition to those where development has already been approved. – Although extensive and thorough work has been done, none of the areas are ready for development. All areas must be investigated in more detail, he says. CONCRETE PLANS: Proposes to investigate these 20 areas for offshore wind. Photo: NVE Dropping several areas As for the smaller areas, outside Tønsberg, Flekkefjord, Stavanger and Bergen, these are completely or partially omitted. The reason for this is that they will have greater conflicts of interest than the newly identified areas, states NVE. There is a need for more power in Eastern Norway, and in the report Statnett has, among other things, pointed to the Greenland area as well suited for the connection of offshore wind. However, there are major conflicts of interest that limit the available area for the development of offshore wind power plants here. The directorate group has not found suitable areas outside Eastern Norway. Oil and Energy Minister Terje Aasland (A) is satisfied with the work that has been done. – This will now go out for consultation, and we will also continue to work with impact assessments, he says. – Is it out of the question to expand outside the twenty areas? – Now I think we should focus on these areas and work with them concretely. Then there may be some smaller projects that are relevant, but now our focus is to realize our offshore wind ambitions in line with what is recommended. It covers the entire Norwegian coast in a good way, says Aasland. There is good news for shrimp fisherman Reiulf Halvorsen. He has feared that 76 wind turbines would be placed in the middle of the fishing grounds where he trawls for prawns in the outer Oslofjord. Shrimp fisherman Reiulf Halvorsen in Sandefjord. Photo: Mette Stensholt Schau / news – I am relieved that NVE has taken on board the signals that have come, among other things, from the fishing industry, he says to news. Skaga has been one of the most conflict-ridden fields, he believes. He believes the overall level of conflict was decisive. – Ordinary people have realized that here we must stand up for the values that this area represents. It is much more valuable than sending electricity to Europe, says Halvorsen. Arvid Nesse, leader of the industry organization Norwegian Offshore Wind, is pleased that consideration of fisheries is given high importance in the analysis from NVE. Arvid Nesse, head of the industry organization Norwegian Offshore Wind. Photo: Håvard Nyhus / news – The key to our success with this venture is that we find good solutions for everyone with different interests, says Nesse. He also thinks it is positive that you build on existing areas. – Norway has special advantages for asserting ourselves in floating offshore wind, and it is very positive that the analysis here shows several suitable areas for floating parks, he believes. Director at Herøya industrial park in Porsgrunn, Sverre Gotaas. Photo: Lars Tore Endresen / news Director of the Herøya industrial park in Porsgrunn, Sverre Gotaas, had hoped that the Skaga field would be investigated further. This could give a lot of power to the Greenland region in a short time. – We had hoped for a further investigation, but we can’t say we are disappointed. That is just how it is. If it is part of a large conflict area, we will of course take that into account, he says. Thinks the ecosystems must be mapped Secretary-General of the WWF World Wide Fund for Nature, Karoline Andaur, believes it will now be absolutely crucial to map the ecosystems in the 20 designated areas. Secretary General of the WWF World Wildlife Fund, Karoline Andaur. Photo: WWF – If the government is serious about safeguarding nature in the sea window development, it is absolutely necessary that they set aside enough funds for nature mapping in the areas that the report points out already in the revised budget, she says. Rasmus Hansson, parliamentary representative and business policy spokesperson for the Green Party, warns against short-term “energy panic”. Rasmus Hansson, MDG. Photo: Even Bjøringsøy Johnsen / news The offshore wind potential on the Norwegian continental shelf is enormous, and probably far greater than 30 GW, he believes. – It is quite clear that Norway is not facing a long-term energy deficit. Now we have to plan long-term with big offshore wind on the horizon and put away all thoughts of destroying protected and untouched nature due to short-term energy panic on land, says Hansson.
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NVE presented its recommendations for where offshore wind turbines can be relocated – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
