The Norwegian Directorate for Water Resources and Energy (NVE) has granted Solgrid AS a license to build and operate the Furuseth solar power plant. It is the first ground-based solar power plant to be licensed in Norway. The solar power plant will be built in the municipality of Stor-Elvdal, in Innlandet.
On rooftops everywhere Norway is getting more unlicensed facilities, but larger solar plants must have a license.
- NVE has now licensed the first solar power plant in Norway and this is a milestone. Norway's solar power range is small at present, but is growing steadily. In the coming years, we expect solar energy to be an increasingly important contribution to our power system, says Inga Nordberg, director of energy and licensing at NVE.
The Furuseth solar power plant has obtained a license for an installed capacity of up to 7 MWp. It can provide around 6,4 GWh of new renewable energy production per year. This includes the annual electricity consumption of around 320 households.
The Furuseth Solar Power Station will bring important experiences
As no large solar power plants have been built under typically Norwegian conditions, there is a need to learn more about the effects of solar energy in this country.
- The Furuseth solar power plant will bring important experiences both for us and for the industry in the coming years. In the Norwegian context, it will therefore function as a pilot plant, says Nordberg.
In order to broaden the knowledge of solar energy in Norway, NVE has established a number of conditions that include the presentation of development costs and impacts on nature and wildlife.
According to NVE's assessment, the negative environmental factors are minor
The Furuseth Solar Power Plant will be built near the Furuseth transformer station, in an area consisting of a gravel roof and scattered pine forest. The photovoltaic installation will be placed on the ground and the area will be fenced. The property will occupy approximately 175 acres.
According to NVE's assessment, the negative environmental factors are minor. In addition, development takes place in an area with minimal outdoor traffic, in addition to hunting under the patronage of the landowner. The NVE also assumed that the power plant would not have such a large impact on its neighbors. No significant objections were received with regard to the licensing of the solar power plant. The municipality of Stor-Elvdal is also positive about the investment. Read more about the case here.
Source: Norwegian Directorate of Water Resources and Energy (NVE)
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