Renewables
Norwegian coalition urges parliament to boost solar support
Sixteen Norwegian organisations have petitioned the Storting to introduce targeted measures to revive the country's lagging solar sector.
Key points
- A coalition of 16 industry and environmental bodies wrote to the Storting ahead of 2027 budget talks.
- The group warns that Norway is falling behind its target of generating 8 TWh of solar power by 2030.
- Proposed measures include auction schemes, rooftop mandates, and expanded support for residential battery storage.
What happened
A broad alliance of 16 Norwegian businesses, trade unions, and environmental groups has formally requested increased policy backing for the nation's solar power industry. According to reporting by pv magazine, the coalition addressed a letter to the Storting, Norway's parliament, urging lawmakers to incorporate five specific interventions into the ongoing budget negotiations for 2027.
The signatories, led by renewable industry association Fornybar Norge, noted that deployment rates are lagging significantly behind the trajectory needed to achieve the national objective of 8 TWh of solar generation by the end of the decade. This slowdown follows two challenging years marked by corporate insolvencies and workforce reductions across the domestic market.
Proposed measures
The coalition's recommendations focus on several regulatory and financial adjustments. Among them is the establishment of auction-based support mechanisms aimed at commercial rooftop installations, alongside wider energy-sharing frameworks that would allow surplus power to flow to adjacent properties and housing associations. The group also advocates for mandatory photovoltaic installations on new structures and large commercial buildings exceeding 500 square metres of usable floor space.
Furthermore, the petitioners want state-owned enterprise Enova to broaden its funding mandates to encompass residential systems paired with battery storage. Additional calls were made for enhanced efficiency grants distributed via Enova and the Housing Bank. Bård Vegar Solhjell, head of Fornybar Norge, highlighted the unusual consensus among diverse stakeholders regarding the necessity of these steps for national energy security.
Cumulative solar capacity in Norway recently crossed the 1 gigawatt threshold, yet annual additions are projected to hit a multi-year low in 2026. Analysts point to factors such as a government-backed fixed electricity tariff for households, which has diminished the financial appeal of decentralized photovoltaic generation. Meanwhile, separate regulatory proposals aim to streamline grid connection procedures for smaller renewable energy installations.
Why it matters
For energy investors and policy planners, the Norwegian situation illustrates the delicate balance required between broad consumer protection tariffs and distributed renewable deployment. Even in a mature market with universal electricity access and a heavy reliance on hydropower—where renewables accounted for 99.1 percent of electricity output in 2021 according to World Bank figures—stagnant market incentives can stall clean energy transitions.
For developing economies in Africa, particularly nations seeking to expand decentralized power generation, Norway's experience underscores the importance of stable regulatory frameworks and targeted financial support. Without consistent policy signals and streamlined grid access, even advanced markets risk losing the specialized technical expertise required to sustain long-term clean energy infrastructure growth.
Original reporting
This article draws on the following reports. Read them in full on the publishers’ sites.
Context from CEII
Renewables are the fastest-growing part of the world’s energy system. The COP28 goal is to triple capacity by 2030, and solar mini-grids are the fastest route to power for millions of people without electricity.
99.1% of electricity in Norway was renewable in 2021Countries in this story
Written by the CEII Desk, the Centre’s automated newsroom, from the reporting credited above and CEII’s own data. Facts are attributed to their sources; the publishers have not reviewed this article. Spotted an error? Tell our editors.
