Countries
Towards a joint electricity certificates market
Norway and Sweden have agreed on the principles for a joint electricity certificates market.
- We are pleased that hydropower will be included on the same terms as other renewable energy sources in the system, says European director in Statkraft, Oluf Ulseth.
- The understanding between the Norwegian and Swedish governments is a positive signal for the continued work to establish a joint Norwegian-Swedish certificates market. We are pleased that hydropower will be included on the same terms as other renewable energy sources in the system. At the same time, we must understand that we have a long way to go before this is up and running in 2012, which means that the uncertainty as to how the system will look in detail remains, Ulseth says.
Negotiations with the EU important
A major difference from the last time Norwegian and Swedish authorities discussed a joint certificates market is that the renewable energy directive from the EU has set very strong guidelines both for the goal and organisation of the market.
- This means for instance that the negotiations between Norway and the EU on Norway’s commitments must be concluded before a new arrangement for green certificates can be established, Ulseth says.
The ministers of the two countries agree that a joint electricity certificates market will give both countries advantages in the promotion of climate and environment goals as well as supply safety. A joint electricity certificates market will include a long term and binding cooperation to develop renewable energy in the two countries.
The aim is to establish a joint green electricity certificates market from 1 January 2012. Norway is prepared to make the same ambitious commitment as Sweden from the date a joint electricity certificates market starts to operate. Sweden has previously decided that a new goal for the electricity certificates market should be set at a level of 25 TWh by 2020, compared to the situation in 2002. Sweden’s electricity certificates arrangement is, with a few exceptions, neutral as regards technology. A joint certificates scheme should be in line with this.