Increased focus on strong Nordic energy co-operation
The Nordic Region must be a driving force in the transition to a greener Europe. By the power of example, the Nordic countries must show how energy security, climate and economic growth can be met simultaneously.
By the power of example, the Nordic countries must show how energy security, climate and economic growth can be met simultaneously. This emerged from the meeting of the energy ministers in Copenhagen on 25 October 2010.
- Photographer
- Johannes Jansson/norden.org
The great challenge internally in the region is to intensify the harmonization of the Nordic electricity market, so that the common power system can handle increasing levels of renewable energy and the ambition of having a common end-user market for electricity can be realized. The ministers' decisions for the electricity marked are presented in the attached communiqué on the new challenges for the Nordic electricity market.
The ministers state that there is every reason to accelerate co-operation on sustainable/renewable energy and energy efficiency. There is great potential for co-operation in this area and in carrying out profitable energy efficiency improvements in the Nordic region. To strengthen the energy efficiency agenda in Europe, the Nordic energy ministers are jointly approaching the European Energy Commissioner with the message to boost the EU's initiatives on energy labelling and efficiency requirements for products.
"The development of new clean technology solutions and greater co-operation on knowledge will play a major role in the years to come and contribute to green growth in the Nordic countries" say the ministers and express great satisfaction with Nordic Energy Research's new strategy which focuses on sustainable energy solutions and efficient energy markets.
The ministers also emphasise the importance of following up, before their next meeting, on promising technologies, such as storage of wind energy in water - the so called "pumped storage" technology - which could be a green solution in sparsely populated areas with poor access to electricity grids. The main challenge here is to use more sustainable/renewable energy and to safeguard the supply.
Moreover, the ministers state with satisfaction that there a number of projects have now been started which aim to promote the Nordic infrastructure and the use of electric vehicles.
Finally, with great enthusiasm, the ministers have launched the competition to find the Nordic Energy Municipality. The project will recognise those municipalities that are committed and are putting in a special effort to carry out pioneer energy projects which will contribute to creating green growth and development. All Nordic municipalities are invited to apply, and both the nominations and the winner, to be announced in spring 2011, will be marketed in the Nordic region and internationally. This initiative is a co-operation between the Danish Presidency and Finland which takes over the Presidency in 2011.
The ministers are looking forward in this connection to be presented with a wide variety of promising and sustainable Nordic energy solutions that are out there in the Nordic municipalities.
Further information: Climate and Energy Minister Lykke Friis through Head of Section, Martin Lindgreen, phone +45 33922965 or the Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers, Halldór Ásgrímsson, through Senior Adviser Anne Sofie Bender, phone +45 33 960274.
