Greenland Wants Møre Trafo Help

“In Greenland you often need insulated substations, as the operating temperature easily creeps down towards minus 40 degrees,” says Sales and Marketing Manager at Møre Trafo, Ivar Lifjeld.

Operations Consultant Power Distribution Christian Pedersen from Nukissiorfiit, a state-owned Greenlandic energy company, visited Møre Trafo in February to look at options and possible solutions that can match the climate conditions in Greenland.

Potable Water House

“They also want a solution with a ‘tap water house’, a separate building where you can draw drinking water. Not all houses have running water. In Greenland, the Electric Utility is also responsible for the water supply and district heating. Heating cables are installed in all water pipes,” explains Ivar Lifjeld.

Rising Faster Than Anywhere Else

Even though winter temperatures can drop to 50 below, Greenland faces major climate challenges because temperatures there are rising four times faster than in the rest of the world. According to a 2020 study, 36,000 billion tons of ice will melt in Greenland if global warming continues at the current pace. The study says that is enough to raise sea levels by ten centimeters.

Green Energy

Greenland now wants closer cooperation with Norway on climate challenges and green energy. The goal is to raise awareness of the climate challenges, especially among young people and children who can be involved and taught, and to ensure that research and data stay more in the country and benefit the local population.

Consequences

Greenland also wants a better mapping of possible consequences of climate change. Among other things, whether climate change could affect industries such as dog sledding and fisheries, and thereby people’s income, lifestyle, and future opportunities.

Competence

The potential for developing green energy in Greenland is huge, but it demands major investment, and it’s all about infrastructure, energy mix, political framework, and competence development.

Largest island

Greenland is the world’s largest island, and almost 80 percent of it is covered by ice. On top of temperatures rising four times faster than in the rest of the world, tourism is also increasing to this vast country with only 55,000 inhabitants.

Renewables

Power production in Greenland today runs on about 90 diesel generators, five hydropower plants, some wind turbines and solar power plants. All have the same electricity price: NOK 1.75/kWh. 70 percent of Greenland’s energy comes from renewable sources. Møre Trafo has previously delivered transformers to Greenland, but then via an agent in Denmark.