Encourages innovation – Beautiful weather

  HAUGESUND: The call comes from Vidar Helgesen (H). Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister, who is also Minister for EEA matters and relations with the EU, gave the introductory speech at the annual EnergiRike conference at Rica Maritim Tuesday. The theme of the first conference day was to highlight the opportunities the EU energy and climate policy allows for Norwegian industrial companies and energy producers.

 Helgesen think Norway is a strategically important partner for the EU because we have huge energy resources and a major commitment to the environment. He believes we must use this position to work behind the scenes and influencing EU policy before decisions are taken.

  – We have to be really on the ball and advance our views. When we do this, our key cards the experience we have, says minister – and encourages teamwork and cooperation to promote Norwegian interests.

 Leading for Norway

 He believes we must build on lessons learned from hydropower, and later oil and gas industry, when fossil fuels in a few decades will be replaced with clean renewable energy.

 Helgesen, Norway still a few years to live well as oil and gas producer.

  – But we still have work and nursing homes about 30-40 years, we need to make an adjustment in the next few decades. This realignment is every reason to start now if we are to be a leader and promote competition, he said.

 The minister believes that the major changes taking place in Germany – Energiwende – where all nuclear power by 2022 to be replaced by renewable energy, and the EU’s ambitious and increasingly stringent environmental regulations will determine the trend also in Norway.

 The monopoly over

 In Germany, large government support for renewable energy led to the traditional energy producers have been challenged by a host of smaller players in solar and wind power. The result is that energy mono polished is dissolved. The traditional producer companies have only 12 percent of the market for renewable energy, while 97 percent of the cheap solar energy production are owned by consumers.

 Major challenges

 CEO Olav Linga Haugaland force believes the future picture that was drawn by Helgesen and other speakers are in line with the changes the industry has already seen. According to Linga these changes will provide power surplus in Scandinavia for some years and cheaper electricity for consumers.

 At the same time they provide energy producers challenges.

  – The value of Norwegian power company will be reduced. Maintenance of network structure – which it will invest 100 billion by 2020 – is another area. I also see a challenge in capital and corporate earnings, says Linga.

 He believes that Norway already has some one the German trend of many small energy producers, and believe in a continued rotation where consumers want more control of their own solar panels and wind turbines.

  – But Norway is not quite ready for this yet, says Linga.

 In this future picture, he believes it is important for energy companies to adopt new technology and develop new products.

  – Haugaland Kraft we exploit the intersection of power, telecommunications and data, and believe it will create new opportunities and products says Linga – referring to the company’s investment in fiber networks, and Altibox products in collaboration with Bright.