Inauguration of Totoral Wind Farm

Tale holdt av statssekretær Sigrid Hjørnegård i Chile under åpningen av Totoral Wind Farm, 20.01.2010.

Dear Ms. President, your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen

I am both honored and very pleased to be able to participate in the opening of the Totoral wind farm. I think the Totoral project and SN Powers hydropower projects in Chile serves as an excellent example of the good relationship between our two countries.

Chile and Norway have had a good relationship for a long time, and we look forward to cooperate further in the future, now also within the OECD. Today, I also would like to thank President Bachelet for your contribution to further develop an even closer relationship between our two countries.

The Copenhagen negotiations were important.. Important because it set the climate issue on top of the agenda for politicians all over the world. Even more important is to now to follow up with constructive work and commitments.

Production of more renewable energy is crucial to meet the increased demand for energy and at the same time combat climate challenges. The Totoral Wind Farm in this respect is an important project and I am happy that it’s estimated that Totoral wind farm will eliminate more than 70, 000 tons of CO2 emissions each year.

Norway is an energy nation. We are the world’s 6th largest producer of hydropower and have over 100 years of experience in this field. Norway also has over 40 years experience in oil and gas production. Today, about 98 % of our electricity production is from hydropower. This explains why Norway has a renewable share of over 60 %. In our development and regulation of this sector we pay close attention to the environmental impacts and we want the local communities to benefit from these activities.

Norway has considerable experience, technology and competence in developing energy related industry and our aim is to use this competence to help other countries develop their energy sector. For example Statkraft, which is owned by the Norwegian Government and holds a major share of SN Power, is the largest renewable company in Europe. There is still a need to develop more efficient technology.

I would like to commend Chile on having a long-term and predictable framework that makes investments in the renewable sector possible.

Chile and Norway, with high mountains and waterfalls are fortunate to have such a large production of electricity from hydropower. The flexible system, or the ”battery”, hydropower represent is a great benefit when developing intermittent energy like wind and solar energy. When the wind doesn’t blow, the hydropower can flow..

Lastly I would like to congratulate SN Power and this region with Totoral wind farm, and I am happy that the Chilean households and other energy-users will receive renewable energy from right here.

Thank you - Muchas Gracias