Apparently, yesterday saw the completion of the first windmill on Hordaland (the county in which Bergen lies). For someone like me from the UK, where windmills have been part of the lamdscape for several years, both inland and off shore, that was quite a surprise! It was obviously an event though, as the owners of the windmills rented two 60 seater busses to take curious Norwegians out to the windmill park area on Saturday and Sunday! They had 550 visitors!
The weather here is certainly windy enough most days to turn a modern windmill! For a long time though, hydro electric power has been the favoured way of producing electricity. Here on the west coast, with all its wild mountains and heavy rainfall, waterfalls and small hydro electric power stations are two a penny!
So why mar the beautiful landscape with windmills? It is all to do with the fact that Norway does not belong to the European Union! They have a special agreement whic basically means that they have to adhere to all EU laws and regulations, including those on electricity pricing, in order not to compete unfairly with manufacturing and production in other EU countries. Considering all other costs in Norway (transport, raw materials, salaries) are far higher than say Portugal, it seems a tad unfair. However, it also means that Norway can sell electricity to the EU at set prices, which barely reflect production costs!
As for blotting the landscape, they do not seem too bothered really! Plenty of beautiful views have a huge mast or pylon and the usual cables, etc slicing through the scenery like a cheese wire.
So western Norway has now joined the windmill club. 43 are set to go up over the next few months on Fitjar, which is an island south of Bergen. I imagine they will be quite obvious as you travel through the landscape, as Fitjar is relatively flat. Good or bad - difficult to say. We all need and use
electricity, and at least it is an ecologically viable way of obtaining it!
By the way, what is the difference between a windmill and a wind turbine? Apparently, a wind turbine is just the windmill sails, whereas a windmill also has the tower and generator. Things you learn!!!
A blog about daily life in Bergen, Norway. We moved here in 2010 due to work commitments (my husband's). Now having survived the first winter I feel able to write about the place without too much negativity! it is amazing how a lack of light, freezing temperatures and general horrid weather drain creativity!! I've learnt Norwegian, and work part time - so this really is living in Bergen!
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