LO leader Peggy Hessen Følsvik and NHO chief Ole Erik Almlid ask the government to take in the furious feedback after the postponement of Ocean Space in Trondheim.
Less than 10 minutes ago
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– This came like lightning from clear skies. With pleasure we have seen a good offshore wind investment. Then you come the next day and remove a prerequisite for success, says NHO chief Ole Erik Almlid to VG.
There have been strong protests, among other things from the Labor Party and from the research communityafter the government has proposed postponing the construction of the ocean research center Ocean Space until no later than 2025. The center will, among other things, contribute with offshore wind technology.
NHO and LO have also been critical, and now they are sharpening the tone together at NHO’s annual conference.
– LO and NHO stand together on this. We have been very clear about this in our roadmaps. We must lift the natural advantages Norway has, and that includes working with the sea, says Almlid.
– Do you expect them to turn around?
– We expect it very clearly, and there we stand with many others. That is a clear requirement. We are very clear that this must be put in place.
Clear signal
Almlid says this is a completely wrong answer to the challenges Norway and the world have.
– Besides, it is the case that if you do what you have said and push this out in time, you get a lot of extra costs when this has come so far in the process, he believes.
LO leader Peggy Hessen Følsvik says she registers that there have been many reactions to the case during the day, and believes it sends a clear signal to the government.
– I hear that the Prime Minister today has said that he is willing to look at this again, and I think that is positive. These are good signals, she says.
Støre has confirmed to NTB that he is willing to discuss the matter in the Storting, and listen to the criticism that comes.
– Do you expect them to do that?
– Yes, I have expectations for that. It is an overall requirement that the government looks at this again, she says.
– May lose opportunities
Følsvik will not go so far as to call the center a prerequisite for the offshore wind investment.
– But it is an important piece in the technology development we hope will happen in Norway. We will not only be producers of electricity, we will also create new industry and new jobs, she says.
Then she says the government must also ensure that Norway has research and development environments that can take us there.
– A postponement I think could quickly lead to us losing opportunities here that we can not miss, including in this with the wind turbine investment.
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