Havvind EU expert with broadside against the government:
During the Brexit negotiations between the EU and Great Britain, Georg Riekeles was one of the most trusted advisers to the EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier.
Today he is assistant director of the Brussels-based think tank European Policy Center (EPC).
It was because of this background that Riekeles today participated in NHO’s annual conference, which brings together hundreds of business leaders, politicians and press people in Oslo Spektrum.
And from the stage, Riekeles took a strong stand against Norwegian offshore wind ambitions.
– If I have to quote Solan Gundersen, I think it is important that we do not go backwards into the bird box. The future is running away from us, he says to TV 2.
– On the government’s website it says that offshore wind is Norway’s next export adventure. But the reality as of today is quite different.
Oiled laziness?
Riekeles points to how Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and the European Commission met last year in Esbjerg in Denmark to lay out a joint strategy for offshore wind in the coming years.
Norway was not there.
– Norway did not sit around the table. And that strategy involves tenfold the sea wind in the North Sea, Riekeles points out.
He believes the Norwegian ambitions are far too small.
– While Norway has a target of producing 30 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2040, Great Britain has a target of producing 50 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030. So in less than half the time. Denmark is building artificial eyes to raise the level of ambition. Little Belgium, with 60 kilometers of coastline, has an ambition of 8 gigawatts in seven years. So for me it seems clear in Norway. Unfortunately, it is not a national strategy, says Riekeles to TV 2.
He thinks oil is one of the main reasons.
– We have lived well with it. And then you might become… I don’t know if you should say lazy. But you are affected by it.
Riekele’s prediction is that the future energy superpower in the North Sea will be Denmark. Not Norway.
Vedum wants the power to go to Norway
Finance Minister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum (Sp) was in place in the hall when Riekeles spoke to the assembly.
He disagrees with the characterization.
– We have a very clear offshore wind strategy in Norway, and it is in full swing. That is our national strategy, says Vedum.
He indicates that there has been considerable discussion about which cable solution Norway should choose when the first offshore wind farms in the North Sea are to be developed. For the first developments, the government has agreed to power cables that go into mainland Norway. It is important to bring the price of electricity down, Vedum believes.
– There are different views here. But we think it is right to use the first large sea window building for a better balance of power in Norway.