Closer cooperation between Norway and Germany to develop green industry

• Enge Zusammenarbeit zwischen Norwegen und Deutschland bei der Entwicklung grüner Industrien (PDF)

‘These are challenging times in Europe due to the war in Ukraine. The energy crisis has highlighted Norway’s importance as a reliable supplier of gas to Europe, but it has also underscored the need to accelerate the transition to renewable energy. I greatly value our close cooperation with Germany. It has been a long time since Norway was this important to Germany – and Germany to Norway. Our collaborative efforts will help us to achieve our common goals of green industrialisation and lower emissions,’ said Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.

Prime Minister Støre and various Norwegian Government ministers met Germany’s Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck in Oslo today. In January 2022, Norway and Germany agreed to strengthen Norwegian-German cooperation on the green transition and to establish a long-term, structured dialogue on industry and energy. Several meetings have been held between the two countries over the last year where the energy situation in Europe has also been a key item on the agenda.

Norway and Germany have agreed to expand cooperation in the areas of hydrogen, battery technology, carbon capture and storage, and renewable energy from offshore wind. The two countries will work closely together to find effective solutions and today issued two joint declarations on closer collaboration on climate policy, renewable energy and green industry.

• Joint Declaration - German-Norwegian Partnership on Climate, Renewable Energy and Green Industry
• Joint Statement - Germany – Norway - Hydrogen

‘The Norwegian Government is working to ensure that Norway will continue to be a stable and reliable supplier of oil and gas to Europe. We are also working to further develop our role as an energy nation by, for example, decarbonising gas through hydrogen production and carbon capture and storage. We are considering establishing a partnership with Germany on large-scale value chains and infrastructure in this context. Both our countries are seeking to seize the opportunities opening up as a result of the energy and climate change challenges Europe is facing,’ said Minister of Petroleum and Energy Terje Aasland.

Industry both in Norway and in Europe as a whole has a vital role to play in realising the green transition. Following the meeting between members of the Norwegian Government and German Vice Chancellor Habeck, a declaration on strategic collaboration was signed between Equinor and the German company RWE on energy security and decarbonisation.

‘Norway is well positioned to succeed in promoting green growth, particularly in light of our crucial resources and expertise in the energy, offshore and maritime sectors. We will develop green industries and create new green jobs. Cooperation with key partners is essential and I am therefore very pleased we are establishing a Norwegian-German industrial partnership which, in addition to renewable energy, also encompasses the processing industry, batteries, raw materials and green shipping,’ said Minister of Trade and Industry Jan Christian Vestre.

‘Norway and the EU will be undergoing a major process to decarbonise their economies. This will require scaling up efforts in areas such as carbon capture and storage, hydrogen and renewable energy production. I am pleased that Norway and Germany will be cooperating even more closely in these areas,’ said Minister of Climate and Environment Espen Barth Eide.