In 2012, the Ministry of Oil and Energy stated that they had an “ambitious but realistic” goal of reducing energy use in existing and new buildings by 15 TWh by 2020. Ten years later, the Swedes have come a long way in reducing energy use. And Norway? In Norway, energy use in existing and new buildings has increased since 1990, and has been stagnant since 2009 (orange curve). In the period 1990–2020, energy use in buildings has increased by 20% in Norway, while it has decreased by 10% in Sweden. Photo: Håvard Nyhus In a new analysis from Sintef, the authors conclude that Norway is “not on track” with the goal of reducing energy use. Instead, the study shows that a continuation of the current policy will increase energy use in buildings in 2030 compared to 2015. – Sweden has taken the problem seriously – unlike Norway, Sweden has an active policy on Enøk, says Bård Baardsen, who is a senior advisor at Norsk Heat pump association. Swedish buildings therefore have a large proportion of waterborne heating systems. In addition, district heating, geothermal heat pumps and solar cells are more widespread on the other side of the border. – Sweden has taken the problem seriously. Norway is the only country in Europe that has neither a strategy nor an action plan for energy efficiency, says Jonas Henni Normann in Schneider Electric Norway. He refers to the energy report that was presented this spring. – There, the focus is mostly on how we are going to produce more energy. Not how we should use less energy. The EU is working on a directive to reduce energy use in homes. It will also apply to Norway through the EEA agreement, and may result in large expenses for Norwegian homeowners. 1.1 billion for saving measures in Norwegian houses A word of mouth says that “the most environmentally friendly energy is the one we don’t use”, and according to the international energy agency IEA, energy efficiency is the most environmentally friendly measure to limit global warming. The Solberg government therefore took on large parts of the environmental movement when Enova in 2021 – with the blessing of the climate minister – cut support for heat pumps and solar energy for households. This year, there have been high expectations for next year’s state budget after climate minister Espen Barth Eide (Ap) signaled this summer that he would “go all in” to reduce energy use. Energy efficiency of the building stock can reduce energy use and emissions, and at the same time free up electricity for the green shift, and have a lot to say for the overall energy system.Oddgeir Sæle/news In a budget leak, the government announced six measures to reduce electricity use, including an instruction to Enova and Husbanken to spend NOK 1.1 billion on savings measures in Norwegian houses. In the budget agreement with SV, Enova received NOK 850 million more. In return, earmarked Enøk measures were cut by NOK 280 million, which according to reports was “difficult for SV to agree to”. – We don’t understand why SV agreed to this, says Ola Elvestuen in Venstre. Should the 2030 target also apply to “future buildings” or only existing buildings? A sticking point in the discussion about the 10 TWh target is whether it should include only existing buildings as of today or the entire building mass in 2030. Based on NVE’s expectation for the development of energy use, Norway should have a lower energy use in 2030 than in 2017. Using 2017 as a starting point will therefore be a weaker target than if we take the energy use level in 2030 as a starting point. Both NVE and Sintef are very clear in their recommendations that the target must cover the entire building mass. In a joint appeal, 26 organizations owe the government to “redefine the goal” in the budget agreement with SV to only apply to existing buildings from 2015 and older. – New buildings represent only around 1 percent of Norwegian building stock. Nevertheless, almost all measures are aimed at this marginal percentage. We will only achieve the real climate effect through making the remaining 99 percent more efficient, says Jonas Normann, director of sustainability at Schneider Electric. Climate Minister Espen Barth Eide (Ap) says he will “go all in” to reduce energy use. The response to the budget is nevertheless weak. Photo: Truls Alnes Antonsen / news – Looks bad for Norway At the Storting and among the interest organisations, there are three things that irritate. Cut in earmarked for Enøk measures. The lack of a “concrete de-escalation plan”. The Storting decided in 2017 that the government had to draw up such a plan. Five years later and six ministers later, this remedy package still does not exist. That the large subsidies go to the “big, capital-strong” business world and not to ordinary households. – Ordinary people lose Jonas Henni Normann, Schneider Electric Norway – The government should change Enova’s mandate from the current “birth care for new ventures” to “accelerate the adoption of established solutions with documented effect”. Funds should be directed towards measures that we know will have the greatest possible effect in the short term. Europe’s energy crisis, the electricity price crisis and the lack of network capacity in Norway are happening now, measures must have a corresponding time horizon to be relevant. This autumn, Norwegian companies and private households reduced their electricity consumption by approximately 15 per cent. The reason is sky-high electricity prices. The fact that we now use less electricity is good, but we cannot live with businesses closing down to save electricity and residents in houses and flats freezing because they cannot afford to have the heating on. We must use available technology and solutions that help us use less electricity without freezing or shutting down production. Andreas Strømsheim-Aamodt, head of department at Nelfo, a national association in NHO – Politicians are best at energy efficiency in opposition. When they get into position, it is the civil service that wins. The result is that ordinary people lose because the large subsidies go to business. We saw that most recently with the electricity support for the business sector. There is a huge incentive to invest in energy efficiency (correctly only for those companies that qualify for the scheme), while households only receive subsidized consumption of energy. It is positive that business receives support for Enøk, but it is understandable from a socio-economic perspective that this does not apply to ordinary households as well. Jøns Sjøgren, managing director of the Construction Industry Association – Although there are some positive things to take away from the state budget 2023 when it comes to energy efficiency, it is disappointing that we do not get a tapering plan for energy use in buildings. – We are behind Sweden, which has invested in available solutions for energy efficiency and local energy production such as solar and geothermal energy for many years. When not even an electricity price crisis is enough to make the parliamentary majority realize the need for more money and better remedies, it looks bad for Norway, says Sofie Marhaug (R), who is second deputy leader of the Energy and Environment Committee. In a written question to Espen Barth Eide (Ap), she asks if the climate minister can “guarantee that a minimum of NOK 280 million will go to energy measures in buildings”. In October, a majority in the Storting supported a Høgre proposal to extend Enova’s mandate to include support for heat pumps, additional insulation, replacement of window panes, batteries and geothermal heating. Photo: SIMON S. BRANDSETH In his reply, the minister points to “a historic increase” in transfers to Enova, but that “further energy efficiency measures beyond the sums that have already been set aside for this means deprioritizing emissions cuts.” – We do not have the time or opportunity for that if we are to reach the climate targets in 2030, he writes. Espen Barth Eide (Ap) answers this – The government is concerned that those with low incomes should be given the opportunity to upgrade their homes. In the budget for 2023, we have therefore proposed to give the Housing Bank a clear role linked to support for mature energy solutions aimed at households with low incomes. NOK 200 million will be transferred from Enova to Husbanken to finance this purpose. In addition, Enova continues to provide support to those who take the lead and test out new solutions, as a result of the budget settlement, a total of NOK 400 million will be allocated to councils for energy measures at households in 2023. It is right that this is a reduction of NOK 280 million compared to the submitted proposal from the government. Over the four-year period 2021–2024, there is talk of a total of NOK 1.5 billion for energy measures in Enova and Husbanken. The general price increase for October was 7.5 per cent. In the same way as all other goods, input factors for energy measures in buildings are also a scarce resource. It is also the labor that must be used to install the heat pump, the solar cells or replace the window, to name a few. Every year, households invest up to NOK 20 billion in insulation, window blinds, heat pumps and other solutions that provide more efficient energy use in the buildings we live in. It is especially important in a challenging time with sudden changes in the energy markets and to use power more efficiently, but extra important to ensure that price growth does not accelerate further. The government sees them collecting the permits for energy efficiency purposes in context. The electricity subsidy for the business sector amounts to NOK 2.8 billion and requires an energy survey to get the subsidy released. In addition, there is a component with increased support if the recipient implements energy efficiency measures. In sum, this is a very strong investment in energy-saving measures. Now we have to let the measures work and see how the market digests the strong increase in demand for energy efficiency measures. We can also go a long way with more information. The government has launched an information scheme on ENØK measures to help businesses and households make sensible energy choices and reduce their own energy consumption.Through proposals for the budget and budget agreement, the licensing for Enova increases by a total of NOK 1.4 billion. This is a historic increase that has seen Enova in a position to increase the speed of the climate and energy transition even further. We have very ambitious climate targets that require major emission reductions in the coming years. The increased licensing will contribute to both direct emission reductions and innovation that enables future emission reductions. Prioritizing further energy efficiency measures beyond the sums already set aside for this means deprioritizing emission cuts. We do not have the time or opportunity for that if we are to reach the climate targets in 2030. He followed up the answer in a tweet where he wrote that the alternative “would be to push the climate targets”. MDG leader Arild Hermstad says it is “absurd to compare energy saving with climate cuts”: – In a larger perspective, this is one and the same issue, especially when we know that Norway is connected to the European electricity grid. At a time when expenses for most people are increasing and we must contribute to the energy effort together with Europe, Norway can make a big difference if we invest now.
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