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In the context of power system decarbonization, the demand-side strategy for increasing the share of renewable energy is studied for two constrained energy systems. This strategy, which is currently widely suggested in policies on the energy transition, would impact consumer behavior. Despite the importance of studying the latter, the focus here is on decisions regarding the type, location, and timeframe of implementing the related measures. As such, solutions must be assessed in terms of cost and feasibility, technological learning, and by considering geographical and environmental constraints. Based on techno-economic optimization, in this paper we analyze the evolution of the power system and elaborate plausible long-term trajectories in the energy systems of two European islands. The case studies, Procida in Italy and Hinnøya in Norway, are both electrically connected to the mainland by submarine cables and present issues in their power systems, which are here understood as relatively isolated power systems. Renewable energy integration is encouraged by legislative measures in Italy. Although not modeled here, they serve as a backbone for the assumptions of increasing these investments. For Procida, rooftop photovoltaics (PV) coupled with energy storage are integrated in the residential, public, and tertiary sectors. A price-based strategy is also applied reflecting the Italian electricity tariff structure. At a certain price difference between peak and off-peak, the electricity supply mix changes, favoring storage technologies and hence decreasing imports by up to 10% during peak times in the year 2050. In Norway, renewable energy resources are abundant. The analysis for Hinnøya showcases possible cross-sectoral flexibilities through electrification, leading to decarbonization. By fine-tuning electric vehicle charging tactics and leveraging Norway's electricity pricing model, excess electricity demand peaks can be averted. The conclusions of this double-prospective study provide a comparative analysis that presents the lessons learnt and makes replicability recommendations for other territories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing awareness of climate issues in recent decades has led to new policies on buildings' energy consumption and energy performance. The European Union (EU) directive 2010/31/EC, i.e., the energy performance of buildings directive (EPBD), is one of the measures initiated to achieve climate and energy goals by reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in the building sector. The EPBD required all new buildings to be nearly zero-energy buildings (nZEBs) by 2021. Nearly zero-energy buildings (nZEBs) are buildings with a very-high-energy performance and nearly zero or low-energy requirements covered to a very significant extent by energy from renewable sources produced on-site or nearby. The utilisation of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels is a common approach for achieving the nZEB standard. The carbon footprint of PV panels is often not discussed as a parameter. This paper aimed to analyse the environmental performance of an existing nearly zero-energy university building in a Norwegian use case scenario. This analysis is performed by assessing annual electricity and heat consumption from both energetic and environmental perspectives. The energy required for the building during the studied period is then used to analyse the environmental and energy performance of the building. When it comes to the environmental assessment, the commercial software SimaPro was used. The proposed revision EPBD and nZEB definition from 2021 suggests that nZEBs should also consider operational greenhouse gas emissions and life-cycle global warming potential from 2027. The life cycle assessment (LCA) of the building's energy sources looks at the global warming potential (GWP) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and how they compare to Norwegian grid electricity. The results of the analysis highlights potential challenges to justifying the use of alternative energy sources to fulfil the criteria of nZEBs. When installing solar PV, it is important to consider the energy mix of the country where the solar PVs are produced. To solely consider the energy performance of the building, the installation of solar PV panels in countries with a high share of renewable energy may result in a reduced impact in terms of emission reduction from a life cycle perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the "green" growth tradition, the construction of lower carbon energy (renewable energy) infrastructures, such as wind power, has gained prominence in Norway. This has led to indigenous Saami herders confronting pastureland dispossession, some citizens fearing the industrialization of nature, and municipal councils losing formal governance power in favor of national agencies and private-sector project developers—justified by the urgency of the climate crisis. The purpose of the paper is to explore how energy infrastructures aimed at decarbonization have led to social fragmentation and ecological degradation alongside claims of economic revitalization potential in Åfjord. The authors draw upon fieldwork conducted within Saepmie (or Sápmi), the cultural region traditionally inhabited by the Sámi, and investigate the Fosen Vind energy project in the Åfjord Municipality. They find that lower carbon energy infrastructures, such as "wind farms," have been normalized as unavoidable, and damage to habitat and encroachment on Saami livelihoods are positioned as necessary sacrifices for the greater good of fighting the climate crisis. The authors conclude that avoiding the creation of green sacrifice zones in making low-carbon places requires a more transformative vision than the visions offered by techno-solutionism, such as degrowth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of green hydrogen through electrolysis, utilizing renewable energies, is recognized as a pivotal element in the pursuit of decarbonization. In order to attain cost competitiveness for green hydrogen, reasonable generation costs are imperative. To identify cost-effective import partners for Germany, given its limited green hydrogen production capabilities, this study undertakes an exhaustive techno-economic analysis to determine the potential Levelized Cost of Hydrogen in Germany, Norway, Spain, Algeria, Morocco, and Egypt for the year 2050, which represents a critical milestone in European decarbonization efforts. Employing a stochastic approach with Monte Carlo simulations, the paper marks a significant contribution for projecting future cost ranges, acknowledging the multitude of uncertainties inherent in related cost parameters and emphasizing the importance of randomness in these assessments. Country-specific Weighted Average Cost of Capital are calculated in order to create a refined understanding of political and economic influences on cost formation, rather than using a uniform value across all investigated nations. Key findings reveal that among the evaluated nations, PV-based hydrogen emerges as the most cost-efficient alternative in all countries except Norway, with Spain presenting the lowest Levelized Cost of Hydrogen at 1.66 €/kg to 3.12 €/kg, followed by Algeria (1.72 €/kg to 3.23 €/kg) and Morocco (1.73 €/kg to 3.28 €/kg). Consequently, for economically favorable import options, Germany is advised to prioritize PV-based hydrogen imports from these countries. Additionally, hydrogen derived from onshore wind in Norway (2.24 €/kg to 3.73 €/kg) offers a feasible import alternative. To ensure supply chain diversity and reduce dependency on a single source, a mixed import strategy is advisable. Despite having the lowest electricity cost, Egypt shows the highest Levelized Cost of Hydrogen, primarily due to a significant Weighted Average Cost of Capital. • LCOH projections for 2050 were determined through Monte Carlo Simulation. • PV-based hydrogen is the most cost-effective option in all countries except Norway. • Spain exhibits the lowest LCOH, followed by Algeria and Morocco. • Country-specific WACC variations significantly impact the LCOH. • Importing from Spain, Algeria, Morocco (PV), and Norway (onshore) is advised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent years have seen the development of cutting-edge technology, such as offshore wind turbines and wave energy converters. It has previously been investigated whether integrating offshore wind turbines with wave energy converters is feasible. Diversifying the sources of offshore renewable energy also lowers investment costs and power fluctuation. This paper focuses on the development of a hybrid wind–wave energy system as well as the development of a techno-economic model to assess the system performance for a case study. A levelized cost of energy is calculated for the hybrid system by the Norwegian North Sea based on current knowledge about the technology costs. The economic benefits of sharing the common components of a wind-wave hybrid farm are inspected. Combinations of different wind–wave offshore hybrid systems are presented. Three technologies for both offshore wind turbines and wave energy converters are compared to find the most cost-efficient device pairing. The potential benefits of a shared infrastructure and the operational expenses are included in the evaluation. The combination yielding the lowest production cost of the cases studied is a combination of 160 MW of wind power and 40 MW of wave power, with a levelized cost of energy of EUR 107/MWh when the shared costs are 15%. In the study region, the average electricity price in Autumn 2022 was over EUR 300/MWh due to the European energy crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the 2009 EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED), Norway has overachieved its national renewables target and taken the European lead in new wind power. This seems puzzling as Norway had a surplus of renewable energy and the government opposed the EU-induced national target. Employing a dynamic approach to implementation and its consequences, we examine three explanations. From an EU adaptation-pressure perspective, the RED enabled joint implementation, which Norway utilized through its flexible certificate system with Sweden. From a domestic politics perspective, internal pressures led to favourable depreciation rules that stimulated pro-windpower interests. Third, from a policy feedback perspective, protests from municipalities resulted in a reform of the licensing system. These explanations proved complementary, and more persuasive than the main alternative explanation of drastic cost reductions in windpower technology. Our findings speak to the energy democracy, energy policy and implementation literatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small-scale development of renewable energy has been identified as one possible solution to meet future energy needs and is well aligned with the general European trend towards further development of community energy projects. Increased local energy production will move energy plants closer to where people live, placing aspects related to social acceptance at the center stage. Until recently, small hydro power (SHP) projects in Norway have been owned by local farmers and others with property rights to rivers. As the profitability of these projects has decreased, international investors have taken interest in SHP projects as part of their long-term investment strategy. In this paper, we study what influences social acceptance of SHP projects in Norway based on interviews and qualitative data from several SHP projects in Norway. We find that community energy projects often are attributed positive qualities when ownership is local. We argue that there is a need to consider more thoroughly how to organize ownership of small-scale renewables in the future, if it is to uphold its position as a popular and viable solution to meet future energy needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the relevance and use of the concept "reverse salient" in ambitious infrastructural change. Thomas Hughes, in his seminal study of socio-technical system building, observed that the elimination of "reverse salients", i.e. subsystems that because of their limited performance hold back further development, was a central driver for creativity and innovation. It is argued that in sustainable infrastructural transformations, however, reverse salients that resist change are more often neglected than addressed. Design/methodology/approach: Higher education institution campuses combine laboratory-like conditions and sufficient internal complexity to be used as test-beds for ambitious sustainable change in the built environment. In this article, a neglected barrier to the transformation of a small campus into a zero emission campus is revealed, described and addressed. Findings: In terms of substantive findings, first, it is demonstrated how parts of infrastructures that – often for good reasons – have been neglected in efforts to reduce climate impacts can be identified with the help of a historical exploration of the site and through close collaboration with local facilities managers. Second, a temporary low-tech intervention is presented that addressed the critical problems related to these "reverse salients". Research limitations/implications: The limitations of a case study approach apply to this study. Particular caution has to be exercised in terms of generalisation. Moreover, the intervention would benefit greatly from stricter control and additional iterations of the intervention which have not yet been performed. Practical implications: In addition to technology-focussed, top-down initiatives, which often struggle with actually reaching their ambitious goals in routine operation, neglected parts of campuses can contribute greatly to energy and emissions reductions. Moreover, it is demonstrated that and how local technical personnel has an important part to play in infrastructural transformations. Originality/value: Concepts developed in the study of socio-technical system building have not yet been applied in the study and practice of sustainable infrastructural transformation. Their contribution is demonstrated. Moreover, living labs are notoriously difficult to evaluate. In this case study, processes and effects of an innovative living lab intervention are described and analysed. This enables a better understanding of restrictions and possibilities of experimenting in real-life settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper follows up on recent debates on relations between technological innovation systems (TISs) and context. Particular focus is placed on the role of established industries, which possess important resources for TIS formation. The paper contributes in two ways. First, the paper builds and expands upon the TIS framework to encompass beneficial relations between a TIS and its sectoral and technological context. Second, the framework is applied to the analysis of the emergence of a solar photovoltaic (PV) industry in Norway. The analysis first illustrates how an emerging TIS can benefit from an overlap with an established industry, which serves as a structural foundation and impacts key TIS processes. Second, the paper shows how relations between TIS and context change over time and range from supply chain interaction to more profound overlaps of system elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a technical review of the existing pumped storage plants in Norway. The power system is changing towards integrating more and more renewable energy, especially from variable renewable energy sources, leading to new challenges for the security of supply, power, frequency, and voltage regulation. Thus, energy storage options are a highly researched topic in the current situation. Even though there are many energy storage technologies, most are optimal for short term grid balancing, and few are capable of providing long term (weekly or seasonal) storage. One exception is pumped storage, a mature technology capable of delivering both short term and long term energy storage. In this paper, the ten existing pumped storage plants in Norway are presented, several of which are capable of seasonal energy storage. The Norwegian knowledge and experience with pumped storage plants technology is provided as a basis for future research within the field. The review provides information about energy production and storage capabilities, construction costs, specific costs per kW and stored kWh, electromechanical installation, technical specifications, and operational experience with focus on the design of the tunnel system layout. The data presented in this review are unique and previously unpublished. A discussion and conclusions regarding the current situation, trends, and future outlook for pumped storage plants in Norway within the European power market are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How has ecological knowledge been applied in Norwegian management of hydropower and protected areas? By recognizing a diversity of environmental 'knowledges' and science as potentially subordinated to political and economic interests, we explain the link between ecological knowledge and management by the state and scale of knowledge, political conflict and international commitments. The analysis is guided by case-study methodology. We find that ecological knowledge has had weak impact in the management reform of protected areas and been reduced as a decision-making premise in hydropower management. Differing combinations of case-specific factors have produced these outcomes. In the case of protected areas, ecological knowledge was suppressed mainly by opposing economic interests. The hydropower case showed how competing environmental knowledge and international commitments related to renewable energy and climate change overshadowed nature management concerns. These observations highlight the importance of differentiating between types of environmental knowledge and between knowledge and interests in the study of nature management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the international situation and requirements regarding carbon dioxide emissions have increased the production costs of electrical energy and, consequently, prices. The solution to the problem, and at the same time a contribution to improving the quality of the natural environment, is the promotion of renewable energy. The aim of the study was to determine the impact of the share of renewable energy in the energy mix and electricity consumption on household electricity prices. The study was based on data for the EU and Norway for the years 2011–2021. The data have been extracted from the Eurostat database. Multilevel modelling and a correlation analysis were used. It turns out that the situation in the countries covered by the study is different. There are significant differences in electricity prices, consumption and the share of renewable energy in the countries of the EU. The common trend observed is an increase in the share of renewable energy in the energy mix, from 18.6% to 26.3% on average over a decade. Moreover, an increase in the share of renewable energy does not mean a decrease in prices, which increased by approximately 20%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Norwegian Agrarian Association has the ambition to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 4–6 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO 2 -eq) by 2030 in the agricultural sector. As a part of this, 10–25% is expected to come from substituting fossil fuels with renewable energy sources. This paper focuses on the effects of phasing-out fossil fuel consumption in on-field tractor operations with electrification by introducing battery-electric and/or fuel cell tractors and on-site renewable energy generation and storage. The results show that electrification of on-field tractor operations can be a techno-economically feasible pathway to reduce tractor energy-use-related CO 2 emissions in the agricultural sector. Annual CO 2 emissions are observed to reduce by 69% in 2030 and 97% in 2050. However, the CO 2 reduction potential can vary significantly based on the farm type. In this regard, the analysis revealed high sensitivity to manufacturing costs of zero-emission tractors (ZETs), which in combination with a low utilization rate can render the investment to ZETs unprofitable. Moreover, electrification increases electricity consumption, especially peak electricity demand in the agricultural sector. This effect can be reduced with on-site renewable energy generation and energy storage systems. • TIMES-models with differing spatial and temporal resolutions are soft-linked. • The long-term effects of electrification in the agricultural sector in Norway are analysed. • Electrification of on-field tractor operations can reduce energy-use related CO 2 emissions. • Adverse effects of electrification can be mitigated with distributed energy generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The capacity of electric air conditioning and heating systems is growing rapidly, as is the nameplate capacity of PV power plants. While the demand for cooling has a positive correlation with solar irradiance, the demand for heating has an opposite relation. In this study, different approaches to design (aggregation; thermal, battery, and implicit storage) and control (frequency conversion; variable and adaptive load) and their effects on the efficiency of an off-grid active thermal stabilisation system based on a solar-powered heat pump are analysed. The case considered is a permafrost thermal stabilisation system in Norway. It is shown that proper layout and control of the system with an adaptive load can reduce capital expenditures and the total cost of ownership by 30–40%. Increases in the capacity factor and cooling stability of the systems with aggregated and variable loads are studied. The downside is that there is an increase in the compressor's operation time by 50% with a variable load and by 25% per unit with aggregation, which means more frequent replacement in terms of motor hours. The approaches considered are applicable in a wide range of solar-powered facilities with a positive correlation between solar irradiation and energy demand, but the results are quite case-sensitive. The prospects of using excess refrigerant and soil for thermal energy storage instead of traditional electrochemical batteries are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The internationally accepted goal of eliminating climate gas emissions implies substantial investments in renewable energy (RE) facilities. This will inevitably lead to major impacts on landscapes. Landscape concerns linked to RE facilities are already leading to controversies in many local communities. In this article, we focus on the question of landscape democracy related to the establishment of RE facilities. Based on recommendations from the European Landscape Convention, an analytical framework is presented identifying three main dimensions of landscape democracy, followed by an overview of arrangements, procedures, and methods that are or may be used to encourage democracy. The procedures and methods are analyzed based on examples from Denmark and Norway. This is followed by an analysis of decision levels with a special focus on the principle of subsidiarity. Finally, recommendations are presented to strengthen landscape democracy in relation to the installation of RE facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although biodiversity is crucial for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), following the current trajectory, we risk failing SDG 15. Using a new indicator quantifying the loss of functional habitat (habitat that is simultaneously suitable and well-connected), we show that the real impact of renewable energy is far larger than previously assumed. Specifically, we estimate that the construction of hydropower reservoirs in south Norway caused a loss of ca. 222 km2 of functional habitat for wild reindeer (Rangifer tarandus)—which is far larger than assumed based on land inundation indices (110 km2). Fully mitigating these impacts is challenging: scenario analyses reveal that the measures proposed by societal actors would yield only a fraction of the habitat lost (2–12 km2) and could cause trade-off risks with other SDGs. Using indices of functional connectivity is crucial for environmental impact assessments, as entire ecological networks for several species can be affected far beyond the reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel EPC related holistic building retrofit approach was proposed in this paper. • Principles applied "Fabric priority", "Renewable in supplement", "Avoid complex installation". • A novel energy limiting difference (ELD) is proposed as an assessment factor. • 11 energy retrofit measures were defined and grouped into 18 combination packages. • This holistic approach facilitates the rapid retrofit design and decision-making process. This paper presents a novel Energy Performance Certification (EPC) related holistic building retrofit approach for a Norwegian apartment block built in 1980s. Based on the pre-combination principles of "Fabric priority", "Renewable in supplement", "Avoid complicated installation", 11 energy retrofit measures (ERMs) were defined and combined into 18 typical retrofit combination packages (COMBs). Targeted simulations with the aim to explore the interconnected and coupled impacts of selected ERMs are performed in a dynamic simulation tool IES Virtual Environment (VE). A novel Energy Limiting Difference (ELD) assessment factor has been defined, which only considers the difference between primary and renewable energy consumption in the extreme cold winter and hot summer months. The post retrofit EPC standard for each COMBs are then linked with these ELD assessment factors respectively. The relationship between ELD assessment factors and the relevant EPC grades for the 18 COMBs is plotted and verified against the obtained EPC results. Without performing the simulation for each month in conventional retrofit approaches, this approach leads to at least 78 % reduced simulation efforts. This ELD-EPC related approach could therefore be used as useful guidelines for similar apartment building retrofits incorporating renewable energy measures in high-density areas in the cold climate region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Offshore wind (OSW) has the potential to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and halt damaging climate change. However, policies to foster an OSW industry in Norway have long been small and scarce. Recent events suggest that this is changing, as the state-owned enterprise Enova decided to grant a record NOK 2.3 bn to build the world's largest floating offshore wind farm in 2019, the Hywind Tampen project. Based on previous work by the corresponding author, we summarize the political development of OSW in Norway to distil generalisable lessons. The corresponding author employed interviews, document analysis and process tracing, using a theory of policy change to characterise the observed political change. She found that the main obstacle for early OSW deployment has been that environmental and visibility concerns have exacerbated energy–political ones that are created by a longstanding lack of local energy demands. As the green energy demand on a global scale is soaring, the lack of OSW deployment for exports implies that climate–political objectives have been subordinated to energy–political ones, in the formulation of Norwegian OSW policies. This hierarchy of goals was not deemed to have changed, despite the recent political developments in the policy area of Norwegian OSW. Hence, the Norwegian case demonstrates the role of context and national sectoral policies in deciding the pace of sustainable energy transitions. It is suggested that future research considers how policy best practices for renewable energy deployment could be adjusted across varying national contexts to overcome political hurdles to the sustainable transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article concerns the issue of the existence of non-obvious relationships and of potential correlations between the emission of greenhouse gases and particulate matter (PM), renewable energy and corruption perceptions. Additionally, it analyses the possible impact of these above-mentioned connections on the economic, environmental and social situation in the context of further economic development, including during the COVID-19 pandemic and in relation to European countries. The issue of reducing dirty energy sources and corrupt activities is not only a problem considered at the state level, but it is very closely related to the operation of many private enterprises. The conducted research applied methods of desk research as well as comparative quantitative analyses and used extensive statistical data of most European Union member states as well as the United Kingdom and Norway. The ambiguity of the results obtained in the research does not allow for an explicit verification of the existence of relationships between corruption and the pro-ecological initiatives influencing the lower intensity of greenhouse gases and particulate matter (PM) to the atmosphere or increasing share of renewable energy in the whole energy consumption. However, in many analysed cases it is possible to observe the occurrence of the indicated relationships, which, although not considered to be a rule, may give direction to further detailed research in this area, in particular in order to show the resulting beneficial or unfavourable implications for the performance and development of companies and the economy as a whole with rules of sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Greenhouse gas emissions need to be drastically reduced to mitigate the environmental impacts caused by climate change, and to lead to a transformation of the European energy system. A model landscape consisting of four final energy consumption sector models with high spatial (NUTS-3) and temporal (hourly) resolution and the multi-energy system model ISAaR is extended and applied to investigate the transformation pathway of the European energy sector in the deep emission mitigation scenario solidEU. The solidEU scenario describes not only the techno-economic but also the socio-political contexts, and it includes the EU27 + UK, Norway, and Switzerland. The scenario analysis shows that volatile renewable energy sources (vRES) dominate the energy system in 2050. In addition, the share of flexible sector coupling technologies increases to balance electricity generation from vRES. Seasonal differences are balanced by hydrogen storage with a seasonal storage profile. The deployment rates of vRES in solidEU show that a fast, profound energy transition is necessary to achieve European climate protection goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The necessity to reduce C O 2 emissions in combination with the rising energy demand worldwide makes the extensive use of renewable energy sources increasingly important. To that end, countries with long coastlines, such as Norway, can exploit ocean wave energy to produce large amounts of power. In order to facilitate these efforts as well as to provide quantitative data on the wave energy potential of a specific area, it is essential to analyze the weather and climatic conditions detecting any variabilities. The complex physical processes and the atmosphere-wave synergetic effects make the investigation of temporal variability of wave energy a challenging issue. This work aims to shed new light on potential wave energy mapping, presenting a spatio-temporal assessment of swell- and wind-sea-induced energy flux in the Nordic Seas with a focus on the Norwegian coastline using the NORA10 hindcast for the period 1958–2017 (59 years). The results indicate high spatial and seasonal variability of the wave energy flux along the coast. The maximum wave energy flux is observed during winter, while the minimum is observed during summer. The highest coastal wave energy flux is observed in the Norwegian Sea. The majority of areas with dominant swell conditions (i.e., in the Norwegian Sea) are characterized by the highest coastal wave energy flux. The maximum values of wave energy flux in the North Sea are denoted in its northern parts in the intersection with the Norwegian Sea. In contrast to the Norwegian Sea, areas located in the North Sea and the Barents Sea show that wind sea is contributing more than swell to the total wave energy flux. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]