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In 2015 the various aspects of energy have been central
themes in the Norwegian public debate and,
in particular, a focus for NTVA.
Energy is in focus both as a global, overarching theme
connected to climate, and as a set of challenges and
opportunities for Norwegian industry. The precipitous
drop in oil prices seriously hit the Norwegian oil
companies directly, but perhaps more importantly, the
entire ecology of companies of all sorts servicing those
companies. Since the oil and gas industry for many years
has been the central pillar in the Norwegian economy, the
drop in oil prices has been a wake-up call to Norway as a
nation, too used to a comfortable flow of petroleum-based
income. New opportunities must now be identified and
developed, and NTVA sees the discussion of themes of
this sort to be our primary mission.
It was, therefore, most fitting that NTVA, as part of the
celebration of our 60
th
anniversary, produced a book (in
Norwegian) with the title (translated) “Energy, technology
and climate –challenges and opportunities”. 14 experts
wrote 11 chapters on various aspects of the energy
problem as seen from a Norwegian perspective. (Page 8.)
Norway is in a very special position, energywise. We are
a large exporter of oil and gas. Only a minor fraction
of the production is utilized domestically. Norway’s
production of electricity is almost exclusively based on
hydropower. In a typical year we export roughly 10% of
the hydroelectric power generated. In addition to the
possibility of some expansion in hydroelectric power
production we have, as a nation, a considerable potential
for wind power production. Should we use surplus energy
to further transform the transport sector away from being
fossil fuel based? Should we expand our power intensive
industry to replace foreign industry based on oil and gas?
Shouldwe aimatmaximizing energy export to help northern
Europe reduce its fossil dependence? It is imperative
that we make sense of this web of questions, industrially,
market-wise, environmentally and morally. Some of these
problems are considered by expert authors in our book,
and they will certainly remain central to the public debate
in years to come.
In addition to major conferences in four cities celebrating
our 60
th
anniversary NTVA has, during 2015, continued
organizing series of meetings on timely topics in
Trondheim, Bergen, Stavanger, and Oslo. We have also
arranged meetings and seminars in Kristiansand and
Tromsø. We want to establish local chapters in these
cities, thereby underlining our status as nation-wide
academy.
2015 being my last year as president of NTVA, I gratefully
thank the administration and the board for pleasant and
constructive collaboration. As my successor NTVA could
not get a better president than Torbjørn Digernes. It is
with confidence and anticipation that I hand over my
responsibilities to him.
Eivind Hiis Hauge
FOREWORD