Arendalsuka, Norway’s largest political gathering, took place last week, 12^{th –} 15^th August 2024. Anders Holten Skånlund, our VP of Business Development, was there taking in the atmosphere and meeting with stakeholders, partners, and customers in the energy sector.  Here is a summary of his experience and takeaways from Arendalsuka:  

The energy community once again gathered in Arendalsuka, and this year, the atmosphere was different. There was a heightened sense of urgency, fresh perspectives, and a noticeable shift in the narrative of the industry. So, what is new?  

While the need for new power generation and electricity grids remains crucial, these efforts are time-consuming, and significant progress before 2030 will be limited. This year, there was a stronger focus on optimizing and making better use of the resources we already have.

Here are some of the main highlights carved out from this year’s Arendalsuka:  

1. Energy efficiency has immense potential – we can cut tens of TWh and hardly notice it (no loss of welfare or impact on quality of life). 

2. Local energy communities can supplement and strengthen the power system and motivate us all to contribute.

3. Flexibility in industrial energy consumption plays a crucial role in balancing the power system, allowing room for the new advances we want to achieve.  

4. Cooperation is key️ – between grid companies, sectors and industries. Working together is essential. ElBits is making progress, and while the Energikoordinator   pilot project is promising, it might have been more impactful if implemented industry-wide.  Initiatives like CINELDI/SecurEl and other R&D partnerships are driving us forward.  New technology is critically important, and Enova is eager to see more innovative projects and ideas come to the forefront.  

5. Digitalisation will not create green energy on its own, but it’s crucial for enabling the green energy transition. With more and better data, coupled with increased computing power, we have unprecedented opportunities for using energy more intelligently.

6. Protecting and restoring nature is becoming increasingly important , emphasizing the need to avoid wasting energy and to optimize existing resources. The industry is steadily building knowledge, awareness and action plans for nature conservation – small steps now, but with the potential for significant growth and attention in the coming years.  

7. Questioning growth? Not many do now, but more voices are beginning to do so.  As the planetary boundaries become more tangible to more people, we must think outside the box and take radical steps to consume less resources. What will the effect be on Norwegian industry,  energy policies and future developments? How will Norway position itself for the future?