No to wind farms, yes to green industry

green energyNorway has almost no green growth. Photo: Jan-Morten Bjørnbakk / NTB scanpix

No to wind farms, yes to green industry

Red wishes a halt to the construction of wind farms on land. At the same time, the party wishes to cut emissions by as much as 60 per cent. It further wants to use oil money in the green industry.


Foreign companies should further not be allowed to make money on Norwegian wind, it stated by a resolution adopted on Sunday.

Red is deeply concerned about developments in the Norwegian power market. It points out that high electricity prices have made it attractive to expand large wind farms in Norway, even for large foreign companies.

Profitless energy policy

“It should be a matter of course that wind power based on Norwegian natural resources should be owned by the public and benefit the Norwegian people,” the resolution says.

The party to the far left of the policy is in favour of ending the export of Norwegian-produced energy to other countries and replacing the current power policy with an Energy Act. This will ensure that Norwegian power becomes a profitless resource for the population.

After a fierce debate on Saturday, where several delegates argued for wind turbines for climate reasons, the party landed on a joint statement on Sunday: «Red supports activists and local people who want to stop wind power plants».

«Red believes that no new wind farms ought to be built on land in Norway», the resolution continues.

This translates in practical terms to: «no to facilities with more than two wind turbines».

“Instead of building more wind turbines, existing hydropower plants must be upgraded, the potential for solar energy be better exploited, and more must be invested in floating offshore wind,” Red believes.

 

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Climate cuts and green industry

The party is also in favour of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 60 per cent in 11 years. This will, among other things, be done through large-scale investment in the green industry. Red will use oil money to create both a National Industry Fund, which will invest in the green industry, as well as a Green Infrastructure Fund to develop climate-friendly infrastructure.

Additionally, the party calls for differentiated fuel prices to reduce driving in central areas.

Red also proposes a new scheme with so-called «white certificates» that will reward energy efficiency and energy saving.

The fight is growing

The fight over wind power has grown in strength lately. Red’s wind turbine decision came the same day as DNT arranged support march for nature in 22 places across Norway to prevent wind power development of valuable nature.

At the end of March, the NVE sent out a plan for wind power on land for consultation. The plan defines 13 areas as suitable for wind power, affecting a total of 98 municipalities.

On Frøya, Sørmarkfjellet and Stokkfjellet alike, there has been strong opposition to the plans for the construction of larger wind power plants.

The municipal council of Frøya decided to halt the planned wind power development in the island municipality in April. This decision was deemed as invalid by the County Governor of Trøndelag on Friday.

During the National Assembly of the Progress Party last weekend, wind power was also a stormy theme. Parts of the party wanted a total ban. The party ultimately landed on that it should be up to the municipalities themselves, whether they want wind turbines or not.


© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
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