Building the export cables for Norwegian hydro:
Conspiracy theories now flourish. In August, a film by ski coach and influencer Sindre Wiig Nordby alleged that the cables were built deliberately to make prices high enough for wind power to become profitable without subsidies. However far-fetched that claim may be, it reflects a deep erosion of trust.
But how far-fetched is it?
Occam’s razor
Norway has simply managed to mimic its European neighbours and completely bugger up a sound and functioning energy provision.
One thing in the report “Germany protects southern industry with cheap power imports while preventing the export of cheap northern wind to its neighbours.”
Germany had to be prevented from dumping its surplus energy on its neighbours. It totally unbalanced the Polish grid in doing so. And is still having to burn lignite to shore up its own grid.
I recall our power interconnects with Norway were pitched to be used as a fast reacting intermittent buffering mechanism to smooth over variations in wind power. Instead its being used as a cheap source of electricity that is transmitting electricity to the UK almost all the time because the wholesale price of electricity in the UK is stupidly high.
So yes, we are exporting our high electricity costs pumped up by our race for renewables which means that wind power on the other side of the North sea becomes more viable as it’s now competing with the cost of our wind power.
Cheap? £1043 per MWh cheap?
Well, if you’re operating in an isolated domestic market but prices in nearby markets are higher you’re going to try to export, aren’t you? Especially if you’re carrying the costs of silly windmills, you’re 40% state-owned, and the government would like to reduce the subsidies on those windmills so that it can claim green shit is competitive and profitable.
Not a far-fetched claim in the slightest.
Conspiracy theories now flourish.
Conspiracy theories differ from other theories in being correct.