Norway, the electric paradise bankrolled by oil
Norway is close to 100% electric cars, but pays for it with oil. Cold weather, plastics and transport shatter the green fairy tale.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Norway, the electric paradise bankrolled by oil
How can a country that exports oil and gas to all of Europe boast that nearly 100% of its new cars are electric? The answer is uncomfortable: it is financed by the crude it sells to the rest of the world. Norway's green story is real, but someone else foots the bill.
The numbers are stubborn. Norway has 5.5 million inhabitants (three fewer than Andalusia), 75% live in detached homes, and its GDP per capita exceeds €100,000. Spain, with 50 million people crowded into apartment blocks and a GDP per capita of €39,000, is not playing in the same league. With that kind of money, any transition is easier.
The paradox of oil paying for the green
The headline argument is devastating: Norway has financed its electrification with revenue from oil exported to Europe. It is not environmentalism, it is creative accounting. Meanwhile, the electric car is made of plastic (derived from oil), is shipped on megaships that burn diesel, and is charged with electricity that, in large part, comes from fossil fuels. As for sustainable, there is not much of it.
The cold that freezes the range
And then there is the climate. Below 15°C, lithium batteries lose between 10% and 30% of their power, and range drops another 30%. In Norway, with jaw-dropping winters, that turns the electric car into an expensive whim for many. Oslo's snowploughs, needless to say, do not run on batteries.
So the green picture is flawless. But readers should not forget that the money sustaining it comes from selling crude to the rest of Europe. Everyone burns their own share, of course, with a smile of sarracena superiority.
How can a country that exports oil and gas to all of Europe boast that nearly 100% of its new cars are electric? The answer is uncomfortable: it is financed by the crude it sells to the rest of the world. Norway's green story is real, but someone else foots the bill.
The numbers are stubborn. Norway has 5.5 million inhabitants (three fewer than Andalusia), 75% live in detached homes, and its GDP per capita exceeds €100,000. Spain, with 50 million people crowded into apartment blocks and a GDP per capita of €39,000, is not playing in the same league. With that kind of money, any transition is easier.
The paradox of oil paying for the green
The headline argument is devastating: Norway has financed its electrification with revenue from oil exported to Europe. It is not environmentalism, it is creative accounting. Meanwhile, the electric car is made of plastic (derived from oil), is shipped on megaships that burn diesel, and is charged with electricity that, in large part, comes from fossil fuels. As for sustainable, there is not much of it.
The cold that freezes the range
And then there is the climate. Below 15°C, lithium batteries lose between 10% and 30% of their power, and range drops another 30%. In Norway, with jaw-dropping winters, that turns the electric car into an expensive whim for many. Oslo's snowploughs, needless to say, do not run on batteries.
So the green picture is flawless. But readers should not forget that the money sustaining it comes from selling crude to the rest of Europe. Everyone burns their own share, of course, with a smile of sarracena superiority.
Also available in: Deutsch
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (14 replies).
More summaries
-
Electric car fire forces evacuation of building on Bilbao's Gran Vía
An electric car caught fire in a garage on Bilbao's Gran Vía, forcing the evacuation of the Edificio Granada. Accident or a warning about the risks of…
-
Charging electric car sparks fire that destroys six vehicles in Seville, Spain
A charging electric car started a fire in an underground car park in Seville, Spain: six cars destroyed, three apartment blocks left without power or water and two people injured. The risks...
-
Fire destroys depot and 39 city buses in Burgos, Spain
A fire at the bus depot in Burgos, Spain, has destroyed 39 buses. The blaze started in a compressed natural gas vehicle. The fleet had no fully electric buses.
-
Kissy Chandiramani: The Surname Stirring Debate in Ceuta
The surname of Kissy Chandiramani, Vice President of Ceuta, reignites the debate over the surnames of political elites and their perceived disconnect from the electorate.
-
Spain has the lowest effective consumption taxes in Europe
Effective consumption taxes in Spain are the lowest in the EU, according to analysis by El Economista and El Debate. But income tax and social security contributions push the…
-
Spain's national team: the hatred that goes beyond football
Messages reading 'fuck Spain' alongside passionate defences of the flag. Behind the fury at the national team lies economic discontent and distrust. An analysis.