About the market > Renewable energy

Hydropower

The Nordic production capacity is largely dominated by hydro power systems in Norway and Sweden. The height of the fall, the flow, and the utilization capacity of the turbines determines how much energy you get from a waterfall. The total power production in a "normal” year in the Nordic countries is about 195 TWh, but may fluctuate from 155 TWh in dry years, to 230 TWh in a rainy year. Production cost of hydro power is low, but the political willingness to implement new hydro power plants seems to be poor in the Nordic countries.
 

Power plants based on Windmills and biomass

There are many windmills to see along the coast of Sweden and Denmark, but they produce relatively little energy. The production volume could however change dramatically if the large wind power plants planned along the western coast and in northern Norway are realized. The projects meet sharply environmental resistance, and it is not yet economically profitable to realize the projects. Biomass is largely used in heat production in our neighbor countries. It is however expensive to produce electricity based on biomass. Only 2 % of the Nordic power production is based on windmills and biomass. (2007)