Are Longyearbyen and Svalbard facing an energy transition?

Top image: Longyearbyen and Svalbard are facing an energy transition. This is the background for the cooperation agreement between UNIS, Store Norske and SINTEF. Photo: Graham Gilbert/UNIS. Longyearbyen and Svalbard are facing a huge energy transition.

What is the difference between Svalbard and Jan Mayen?

Svalbard is an archipelago in the Arctic Ocean under the sovereignty of Norway, but is subject to the special status granted by the Svalbard Treaty. Jan Mayen is a remote island in the Arctic Ocean; it has no permanent population and is administered by the County Governor of Nordland.

What is a Svalbard & Jan Mayen islands?

The United Nations Statistics Division also uses this code, but has named it the Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands. Svalbard is an archipelago in the Arctic Ocean under the sovereignty of Norway, but is subject to the special status granted by the Svalbard Treaty.

Can wind and solar power be used in Svalbard?

23) This approach is supported by an earlier case study prepared by The Nordic Council of Ministers (2018) titled ‘De-cabornising Svalbard’, 24) which suggests that wind and solar power used in combination with both electric boilers and heat pumps would provide ample electrical supply.

How can Svalbard maintain a secure and sustainable supply?

Furthermore, the case found that the best long-term solution for Svalbard to maintain a secure and sustainable supply would be to integrate a mix of renewable energy technologies. Some of these technologies include: solar panels (PV), wind turbines, heat pumps connected to geothermal and both heat and electricity storage.

Who governs Svalbard?

The archipelago is administered by the Governor of Svalbard, which is subordinate to the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and Public Security. Unlike the rest of Norway (including Jan Mayen), Svalbard is a free economic zone and a demilitarized zone, and is not part of the Schengen Area nor the European Economic Area.