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Norway based on its actor and knowledge characteristics. The main objective of this report is therefore
to analyse the build-up of these new Norwegian renewable energy industries with particular attention
to their international ties.
Finally, the formation and growth of such new industries can be important by creating economic
growth and contributing to a more sustainable society. The report thus ties up with the current debate
on greening and revitalisation of the Norwegian economy in an era with climate change and declining
activity in the oil & gas sector high up on the agenda.
Norwegian offshore wind and solar photovoltaics industries have been mapped and investigated in a
number of previously published reports. In particular, firm activities in the offshore wind industry have
been documented on several occasions with a special attention to links to the offshore petroleum
sector. Both Volden et al. (2009) and Hansen and Steen (2011) have mapped the offshore wind supply
industry in Norway and identified opportunities and challenges for firms in adapting existing offshore
and maritime activities to offshore wind. The role of technological diversification in the oil & gas
industry has been further explored by Weaver and Steen (2013), who in addition point to the
importance of internationalisation in the renewable energy industries. Moreover, several reports have
identified the Norwegian renewable energy industry as fragmented and with weak relations between
firms (Multiconsult 2015; Thema 2013). Finally, several reports have estimated the number of
Norwegian firms and full-time equivalents engaged in renewable energy technologies (Menon 2013;
Multiconsult 2012, 2015). However, estimations on the size of the OWP and the PV industries vary
considerably.
In sum, these findings have been helpful in constructing this report by providing a foundation for
further investigation and for identifying particular areas of interest. The overall motivation behind this
report is to contribute with knowledge about what characterises current efforts at developing green
industries in Norway.
The report is structured as follows. We first briefly outline an analytical perspective on dynamics of
new industry formation with an integrated focus on internationalisation in section 2. In section 3 we
describe the methods, sample and population of the survey. In section 4 we present a brief overview
of the two industries and their key characteristics. In section 5 we present results while section 6 sums
up key findings and raises some points for discussion with regards to dynamics, challenges and
opportunities for these industries in Norway.