This photo is lying: It is almost always blowing strong winds on the coastline of Central Norway. (Photo: vindsenterfosen.no).

This week Statkraft, a leading company in hydropower, broke the news every Norwegian wind power enthusiast had been hoping for: Europe’s largest onshore wind power project will be built in Central-Norway.

Once completed in 2020, the six onshore wind farms will generate 3.4 TWh power annually, enough renewable energy to meet the electricity needs of around 170,000 Norwegian households (average annual consumption: 20,000 kWh) or around 750,000 Swiss or UK households (average annual consumption of 4,500 kWh).

However, many environmentalists are skeptical about the project and the 278 planned wind turbines. The Green Party (MDG) and Friends of the Earth Norway are happy for more renewable energy, but fear that the wind farms will “damage untouched nature.”

– This project represents a major dilemma for environmentalists. It is positive that there are built more renewable energy, but we need an energy policy addressing climate change without destroying pristine natural areas, says Green Party spokesman Rasmus Hansson to Norwegian News Agency.

The Sami people, Norway’s indigenous people, are also very skeptical about the decision because it will affect the reindeer pastures.

Despite the dilemma, most Norwegians agree that if the project is an important step in the right direction, moving away from fossil fuels. Moreover, in a period of rising unemployment, many new jobs will be created.

Here you can read how Statkraft describes the project:

Statkraft, TrønderEnergi and the European investor consortium Nordic Wind Power DA will join forces to realize Europe’s largest onshore wind power project in Central-Norway, comprising six onshore wind farms, with a combined capacity of 1000MW.

The total investment in the wind farms amounts to approximately EUR 1.1bn. Construction will commence in Q2 2016 and commissioning will be completed in 2020.

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Old idea: Norway’s first wind power plant in Elverum, 1910. (Photo: National Library of Norway)

The wind farms will be built on the Fosen peninsula, the island of Hitra and in Snillfjord, in a coastal area providing some of the best conditions for renewable energy production from wind in Europe.

At 1000 MW the projects’ capacity is more than the current total installed capacity of wind power in Norway.

 “This is an important day. Together with our partners Statkraft has developed the largest renewable energy project in Norway in this millennium. With a 1000MW project we become one of the leading onshore wind players”, said Christian Rynning-Tønnesen, CEO and President of Statkraft. 

The first delivery of turbines is scheduled for 2018. The project will use 278 wind turbines of 3.6 MW capacity.

You can read the full article here.

Edited by: Thor Lanesskog, ThorNews

Categories: Nature, Sami