Case study: Norway (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Geography): Revision Note

Energy mix in Norway

• Norway is a High Income Country (HIC) in northern Europe

• The demand for energy is one of the highest in the world

• The population is mainly urban with 83% of people living in towns and cities

Energy resources

• Norway has significant energy resources, including:

  • 1% of the world's gas reserves (17th in the world)

  • 0.3% of the world's oil reserves (22nd in the world)

  • There are also some coal reserves

• Norway is one of the world's largest energy exporters

• Hydropower generates 90% of Norway's electricity and accounts for 65% of energy use

Impacts of energy types in Norway

• The reliance on hydropower in Norway has several impacts, including:

  • Flooding of large areas of land

  • Dams create physical barriers to fish migration and impact on breeding areas

  • River flow rates are impacted, which can negatively affect wildlife

  • Water temperature and sediment levels are altered

  • Habitat destruction

• The production of hydropower can be impacted by climate conditions

  • In 2022, Norway experienced drought conditions leading to a decrease in energy supply and an increase in energy prices

• Although much of the oil and gas extracted by Norway is exported, the extraction impacts the environment by:

  • Increasing the risk of oil spills and leaks

  • Underwater noise pollution affects marine life

  • The burning of the fossil fuels increases greenhouse gas emissions and contributes to global warming

Strategies used to manage energy supplies in Norway

• There are over 1500 hydropower plants in Norway

• Due to the issue of reliance on hydropower during the dry season and the environmental impact of large hydropower plants Norway is expanding other renewable energy sources

• Demand continues to increase

• Norway is expanding the number of wind farms:

  • There are currently 53 wind farms

  • Plans for 36 additional onshore and offshore are due to be started or completed by 2030

    • Includes the world's first floating wind farm

• Norway is also investing in solar energy:

  • Homeowners in Oslo get a 30% subsidy for installing solar panels

• To reduce the consumption of oil, Norway is encouraging the population to move to electric cars:

  • In 2021, 66% of all new car sales in Norway were electric