The main objective is to explore how national and international policies and framework conditions for the cross-border cooperation in energy system transitions interacts. What are the assigned future role of Norwegian hydropower in the North Sea countries? Designed as a comparative case study, this project is meant to explore the utilization of Norwegian hydropower as a “green battery” for system integration. The project will explore different government policies (European, national, regional) and stakeholders perceptions of the role of Norwegian hydropower (utility companies; renewable energy companies, prosumers), with the aim of identifying political and institutional barriers and opportunities for system integration and battery usage. It includes impacts on markets and how the choices made in Norway may affect what other countries can do and vice a versa. It further aims to provide a roadmap for the utilization of Norwegian hydropower as a battery, exploring how opportunities can be exploited in the context of energy system integration across national borders with increased share of renewable energy sources. The approach will have generic value for understanding the behaviour of other national energy systems.
Planned secondments: Swedish Energy Agency (Sweden), University of Edinburgh (United Kingdom).
Lead supervisor(s): Prof. Oluf Langhelle.