OSLO: Norway has approved projects to supply power from land to several more offshore oil and gas platforms in order to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from western Europe’s largest petroleum producer, the energy ministry said on Thursday.

Gas power turbines on offshore platforms account for more than 80% of the Norwegian oil and gas industry’s emissions, and replacing those with renewable power from shore can thus cut the amount of CO2 emitted.

The new projects will deliver power from shore to Lundin Energy’s Edvard Grieg field, as well as its two new subsea developments, Solveig and Rolvsnes, and Aker BP’s Ivar Aasen platform. Power from shore will also be supplied to Equinor’s Sleipner platforms and the associated fields, Gudrun, Sigyn, Utgard and Gungne, as well as to the Gina Krog platform. “This means that we will get strong emission cuts on the Norwegian shelf,” Oil and Energy Minister Tina Bru said. Together, the projects could reduce emissions by as much as 470,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year by the end of 2022, the ministry said.