Environmental Technology, News, Power Generation & Electrical

Statnett signs European agreement on grid development

Norway's energy distributor Statnett has signed a joint declaration with key environmental groups on a European agreement on environmentally-friendly grid development.

”Expanding the main grid is important not just for Norway, but for all of Europe. To ensure security of supply, facilitate the phase-in of renewable energy and promote value creation, Statnett has signed a joint declaration with key environmental groups. The declaration will help us achieve our objective of minimising any negative impact on the natural environment and biodiversity. Furthermore, it will promote a constructive dialogue between affected parties at an early stage of the project phase,” says President and CEO of Statnett Auke Lont.

”Expanding the grid is essential if we are to reach our climate objectives and keep the global rise in temperatures below two degrees Celsius. However, this must be done without harming the natural environment. This is possible,” Mr Lont says.

”In order to facilitate the development of renewable energy the grid must be strengthened and developed. This declaration has shown that the energy sector and environmentalist organisations do not necessarily have conflicting interests,” Mr Lont concludes.

Renewables Grid Initiative (RGI) is an association of European system operators including Statnett, the Belgian system operator Elia, British National Grid, Spanish REE, French RTE, Swiss Swissgrid, Dutch TenneT, Italian Terna and German 50Hertz. Other RGI members include a number of environmental organisations such as BirdLife Europe, Deutsche Umwelthilfe, Friends of the Earth Europe, Friends of the Earth Scotland, Germanwatch, Greenpeace Europe, Natuur en Milieu, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, WWF and European Climate Foundation, Friends of the Supergrid and SEFEP. Together they will ensure a speedy expansion of the European main grid, whilst securing public support and preservation of the natural environment.