Norway Closes Last Coal Plant, Paves Path Toward Renewables
by : Eunice Rodriguez |
Published: October 27, 2023
Norway’s only coal power plant shuttered its operations on October 19, paving the way for a greener energy outlook. As solar panels start to sprout on rooftops, the Arctic town’s journey from coal to aiming for a zero-emission energy landscape reflects a growing global impetus to mitigate climate change.
On October 19, the final ember died out in Norway's lone coal power plant, marking the cessation of an era dominated by coal and stirring the winds of change toward a greener horizon.
Nestled in Longyearbyen since 1983, the world's northernmost coal power station at 78° North, not only symbolized an industrial past but was the lifeblood of the local community, providing 11 MW of electricity and 20 MW of thermal heat. The demise of the coal giant is anticipated to slash the annual carbon emissions by a whopping 35,000 tons, equating to the emissions from around 20,000 cars, as the torch passes from coal to diesel.
The closure event was tinged with both solemn reflections and optimistic vistas as locals convened to bid adieu to the coal plant that once epitomized Longyearbyen's ethos. In the words of Svalbard Energy, this occasion marks "the end of a chapter in our history."
However, this is more than a mere symbolic transition; it's a pragmatic stride toward curbing the claws of climate change, especially as the Arctic warms amidst the ongoing climate crisis.
The plant produced 11 MW electricity and 20 MW thermal heat. CO2 emissions will be halved from today’s 70,00o tons annually with the transfer from coal to diesel. The cut equals emissions from about 20,000 cars.
According to The Barents Observer, Norway's coal narrative extends back to the early 1900s, with Longyearbyen's essence intertwined with coal mining, ever since John Munro Longyear initiated mining operations in 1906.
As the coal curtains draw to a close with the imminent shutdown of the last coal mine, No. 7, the energy narrative is pivoting. The nearly 2,500 denizens of Longyearbyen are now beholding a new dawn of energy suffused with diesel aggregates in the interim, but with a gaze fixed on a zero-emission energy tableau.
The blueprint for a 100% renewable energy tapestry is being meticulously woven with solar panels already mushrooming on rooftops, and a 7 MWh battery pack stationed for backup. The fusion of solar, wind, bioenergy, geothermal sources, and battery mega-packs is envisaged to propel Longyearbyen into a sustainable epoch, making the Arctic town a beacon of renewable energy aspirations.
Eunice is a sustainability writer whose passion is sharing accessible eco-friendly practices with GreenCitizen's global readership. She enjoys birdwatching during her downtime, often deriving inspiration from nature's resilience. An enthusiastic cyclist, she is also an ardent advocate of eco-friendly transport.
Eunice is a sustainability writer whose passion is sharing accessible eco-friendly practices with GreenCitizen's global readership. She enjoys birdwatching during her downtime, often deriving inspiration from nature's resilience. An enthusiastic cyclist, she is also an ardent advocate of eco-friendly transport.
Norway Closes Last Coal Plant, Paves Path Toward Renewables
by : Eunice Rodriguez | Published: October 27, 2023
Norway’s only coal power plant shuttered its operations on October 19, paving the way for a greener energy outlook. As solar panels start to sprout on rooftops, the Arctic town’s journey from coal to aiming for a zero-emission energy landscape reflects a growing global impetus to mitigate climate change.
On October 19, the final ember died out in Norway's lone coal power plant, marking the cessation of an era dominated by coal and stirring the winds of change toward a greener horizon.
Nestled in Longyearbyen since 1983, the world's northernmost coal power station at 78° North, not only symbolized an industrial past but was the lifeblood of the local community, providing 11 MW of electricity and 20 MW of thermal heat. The demise of the coal giant is anticipated to slash the annual carbon emissions by a whopping 35,000 tons, equating to the emissions from around 20,000 cars, as the torch passes from coal to diesel.
The closure event was tinged with both solemn reflections and optimistic vistas as locals convened to bid adieu to the coal plant that once epitomized Longyearbyen's ethos. In the words of Svalbard Energy, this occasion marks "the end of a chapter in our history."
However, this is more than a mere symbolic transition; it's a pragmatic stride toward curbing the claws of climate change, especially as the Arctic warms amidst the ongoing climate crisis.
According to The Barents Observer, Norway's coal narrative extends back to the early 1900s, with Longyearbyen's essence intertwined with coal mining, ever since John Munro Longyear initiated mining operations in 1906.
As the coal curtains draw to a close with the imminent shutdown of the last coal mine, No. 7, the energy narrative is pivoting. The nearly 2,500 denizens of Longyearbyen are now beholding a new dawn of energy suffused with diesel aggregates in the interim, but with a gaze fixed on a zero-emission energy tableau.
The blueprint for a 100% renewable energy tapestry is being meticulously woven with solar panels already mushrooming on rooftops, and a 7 MWh battery pack stationed for backup. The fusion of solar, wind, bioenergy, geothermal sources, and battery mega-packs is envisaged to propel Longyearbyen into a sustainable epoch, making the Arctic town a beacon of renewable energy aspirations.
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Eunice Rodriguez
Eunice is a sustainability writer whose passion is sharing accessible eco-friendly practices with GreenCitizen's global readership. She enjoys birdwatching during her downtime, often deriving inspiration from nature's resilience. An enthusiastic cyclist, she is also an ardent advocate of eco-friendly transport.
Eunice Rodriguez
Eunice is a sustainability writer whose passion is sharing accessible eco-friendly practices with GreenCitizen's global readership. She enjoys birdwatching during her downtime, often deriving inspiration from nature's resilience. An enthusiastic cyclist, she is also an ardent advocate of eco-friendly transport.
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