A coalition of 16 Norwegian companies have addressed a letter to the Norwegian parliament, known as the Storting, to support the country’s solar industry.
Led by Norway’s renewable industry and employer association, Fornybar Norge, the letter includes signatures from the country’s Building Materials Industry Association, Electrical and IT Association and Electricity Association, as well as its Nature Conservation Association and National Homeowners Association.
The letter explains Norway’s solar sector is far off the pace of deployment required to reach the Storting‘s goal of generating 8 TWh of solar power by 2030. It adds slow market growth has been compounded by “two tough years” of bankruptcies and layoffs in its domestic solar market.
“For every month without action, the industry loses the expertise needed to develop more clean power for climate action, construction and business development,” the letter reads. “Now a change of pace in solar investment is needed, combined with increased efforts for energy efficiency.”
It asks the Storting to focus on five measures for the solar industry as part of its ongoing budget negotiations for 2027.
These include introducing an auction-based support scheme for solar projects on commercial buildings and expanding sharing schemes so electricity generated from one rooftop PV array can be shared with neighbours, housing associations and nearby commercial buildings. Other measures include mandating solar panels on new buildings and major commercial buildings with a useable area of 500 sqm or more.
The letter also asks the government to ask Enova, a state-owned enterprise that funds the development and adoption of energy and climate technologies, to expand its support schemes to include residential solar systems with battery storage. It then calls for increased support for energy efifcency measures to both Enova and the Housing Bank, suggesting the money comes from either the state budget or Enova’s saved funds.
“Budget negotiations are often about what the parties disagree on. Solar power and energy efficiency, on the other hand, are areas where everyone can win, with measures that can yield gains in a short time,” the letter adds.
Bård Vegar Solhjell, leader of Fornybar Norge, commented that it is “rare” for 16 organisations across the trade union movement, business and the environmental movement to come together around the same demands.
“We agree that more solar power and energy efficiency are good for the power system, energy preparedness and consumers,” he said. “The Storting has also set ambitious goals, but is not following up with the necessary decisions. Now the politicians must use the budget negotiations to do so.”
Norway’s cumulative solar capacity surpassed 1 GW recently but the rate of deployment has been declining, with 2026 set to see the lowest annual figure since 2021. Growth has been particularly slow in the residential market, which analysts attribute in part to an optional fixed electricity price for households known as the Norgepris that has removed most of the financial incentive for rooftop solar.
Earlier this month, a group of Green Party politicians recommended legalising plug-in solar and batteries in Norway by the end of 2027. Meanwhile, the country’s Energy Regulatory Authority has proposed a simplified connection process for small renewable generation facilities it says is designed to make it easier for households, housing associations and other end customers to use PV systems.
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