Norwegian Hydropower: Connecting to Continental Europe

Norway is well suited for hydropower use, thanks to its natural geography. This was recognized during the 1800s when Norway started building dams to create reservoirs for storing water for use in hydropower stations. Beginning in the 1950s, the country carried out large-scale hydropower development that lasted for more than 30 years. Norway currently possesses roughly 50% of Europe's entire hydropower storage capacity, with a total reservoir volume of 86 TWh. Norway's large reservoir capacity enables it to be in a position to provide large-scale, cost-effective, and emission-free indirect storage to balance wind and solar generation in other European countries.