King Harald of Norway has been working to get solar panels on the roof of the Royal Palace in Oslo, but the weight of history is against him. Professionals have examined the building and concluded that they would be too heavy.
In 2017, planning was started for a project where solar panels would be placed on the roof of the Royal Palace in Oslo. A report was drawn up on the weight of the solar cell system on the palace roof, but this was classified as confidential until last month.
A few years after the project started in 2017, two test panels were set up on the roof of the castle. Since 2019, they have produced electricity, but after the roof of the castle was improved and re-insulated, the maximum weight was reached. If the Royal Court were to put up more panels, they would have to do extensive strengthening of the roof, and it would be so expensive that it would not be worthwhile.
Communications manager Guri Varpe at the Royal Norwegian Court, has made the following comment: “According to the calculations carried out by the government property bureau, the roof of the Royal Palace will not have the capacity to bear the weight of a solar cell system. The project has therefore been put on hold.”
Norway’s Crown Prince and Princess still want to have solar panels installed on the roof of their home at the Skaugum Estate in Asker. This work will continue in the spring of 2023.
In 2018, Sweden’s King Carl Gustaf received a solar cell system as a 70th birthday present, and 600 solar cell panels today supply power to Stockholm Royal Palace. The 600 solar panels covering an area of 1,000 square meters currently supply 10–12 percent of the Swedish palace`s electricity.
