– There you see the area.
Two Labor Party politicians walked easily in the snow and pointed at a mountainous area in the village of Hjartdal.
They have big plans in their minds.
They proposed to convert a 10,000 hectare forest area into a solar park.
It is roughly five times the size of Oslo city center and will become the country's largest solar park.
The electricity generated is intended to be piped directly into Norway's famine-prone power grid and into power outlets in thousands of homes.
Politicians envisioned making money from taxes and renting out land. They hope to be at the forefront of the “green shift”.
– Win-win situation. I support this, concluded Mayor Bengt Halvard Odden (Ap).
– This will be a significant production from the city of Hjartdal, believes city council politician Audun Dølen (Ap).
CONFIDENCE: Two Labor Party politicians Audun Dølen (left) and Mayor Bengt Halvard Odden are optimistic and believe they have convinced the politicians to turn the solar park idea into a start-up project.
Photo: Lars Tore Endresen / NRK
I don't think it harms nature
Even though the park will take up a lot of space, the Mayor is sure that it will not conflict with anything.
Currently, there are no houses, cottages or industries nearby.
According to him, solar parks can also be removed and nature returned to its original state if in the future there is no longer a need for these generators.
He believes this would be more difficult to do with hydroelectric power plants or wind power plants.
– Solar power is less controversial than wind power.
– But a lot of people want to see this, right?
– Yes, but today's world increasingly wants more renewable energy. So we consider this to be the gentlest.
Minister of Petroleum and Energy Terje Aasland told NRK that he found the idea of a new solar park in Hjartdal interesting. He strongly agrees that solar power is more consumable than wind turbines.
– I hope we can achieve both, but solar power may be less sensitive. And I would like the city to do like Hjartdal and look at the possibility of producing renewable energy as slowly as possible, Aasland said.
Politicians believe most of the areas they want to set aside are in the south and west and will get lots of sunshine and light.
Photo: Lars Tore Endresen / NRK
– The mayor has our number
If the city government gets the most out of the area, they believe the park could generate more than 500 GWh. This means electricity for around 25,000 homes per year, according to Skamobil Energi.
– Big, exciting and fun. We need a large and profitable project at Skamobil, says communications manager at Skamobil, Thor Bjørn Omnes.
He indicated that this was not just a fresh idea from some politicians, but something that could be implemented.
– I would be careful not to commit based on the information we have now, but Hjartdal is offensive, and we like him. The mayor has our phone number.
The park is planned north of the village of Sauland in the municipality of Hjartdal.
Photo: Hjartdal Municipality
Don't want windmills
In the center of Hjartdal, there is no crisis atmosphere, although they can get a park nearby.
– This could be a smart way to generate electricity in the future and think ahead, believes Monicha Brevik.
– In any case, I don't want any big windmills here, emphasizes Emilie Hegna Kåsa.
– Very good. I don't want wind power, says Håkon Øygarden, in Kav Telemark dialect.
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