Is Norway a good place for solar energy?

Snow, cold and hardly any sun for four months of the year: at first glance, Norway might not seem like the ideal place for a prospering solar energy industry. Nevertheless, Norway is making great strides in developing the technology, materials and solutions needed to make use of the largest energy source in our solar system.

How do solar panels work in Norway?

Solar panels turn the sun’s rays into energy which can be sold to the power grid or used for your own home. Figures from The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) show that solar power capacity in Norway has increased ten-fold since 2015. Despite this, the Scandinavian country still lags behind others.

How many solar panels are there in Norway?

Currently, almost 90 % (which corresponds to approximately 7,000 photovoltaic systems) of the total installed solar power in Norway is connected to the Norwegian power grid. This means that there is only a small portion of solar panels in use in Norway, which operate on a stand-alone and independent basis.

Could solar power generate enough energy in Norway?

Could solar power generate enough energy in Norway to become a real contender to hydropower and wind power in the Norwegian energy market? At the beginning of 2021 solar power installations in Norway generated around 160 MWp of electricity, of which 40 MWp was installed in the year 2020 alone.

Where is a solar farm located in Norway?

State-owned energy company Store Norske Energi installed the solar and storage at Isfjord Radio on the island of Spitsbergen, the largest and the only permanently populated island in the archipelago, and the solar farm is expected to come online tomorrow.

Is it worth getting solar panels in Norway?

High electricity prices and the urge to go green mean many in Norway are pondering whether it is worth getting solar panels. Solar panels turn the sun’s rays into energy which can be sold to the power grid or used for your own home.