Named one of CHARGE’s Energy Gamechangers for 2025, Arven is reshaping how Norway understands its own energy narrative. As the organisation evolves into the national competence centre for energy tourism, Arven blends culture, community, and renewable innovation to create an entirely new way for the public to experience the energy transition. In this interview, they share how the vision began, why trust is Norway’s biggest barrier, and how storytelling and immersive experiences are helping people reconnect with the energy that powers their everyday lives.
1. Arven combines energy, culture, and tourism in a unique way. How did this vision take shape, and what has the public response been so far?
Arven was born from a simple insight: Norway’s renewable energy infrastructure is not only technical, but also cultural. Hydropower has shaped our landscapes and identity for more than a century, yet its story is rarely told from the people’s perspective.
Arven brings together energy companies, tourism, and communities to show how power plants and dams can also be places for learning and pride. Our pilot site, Øvre Forsland, now attracts thousands of visitors each year. Drawn not by electricity, but by the story of innovation and collaboration.
2. You’ve said the biggest barrier to Norway’s energy transition is a lack of trust. How is Arven working to rebuild that trust and open up new conversations about energy?
Trust grows through openness. Arven makes energy visible and accessible, bringing people behind the gates and into the conversation. Through school programs, guided visits, and storytelling, we help people understand not just how energy is made, but why it matters. Our goal is to turn scepticism into curiosity, and curiosity into engagement.
3. The concept of energy tourism is powerful. How are you using experiences and storytelling to shift perceptions and inspire curiosity about renewable energy?
Experience builds understanding faster than information ever can. When people stand inside a power station or follow the path of a river, they feel the story of energy. Through exhibitions, guided experiences, and art collaborations, we turn complex systems into human stories. That’s energy tourism. Using Norway’s energy landscape as a living classroom for knowledge and reflection.
4. Even before the centre officially opens, Arven is already reaching thousands of people. What lessons have you learned from engaging the public so early?
By opening up from the very beginning, we’ve built a strong community around Arven. From schools and local volunteers to national energy companies and policymakers. It’s shown us that trust is not something you “launch”; it’s something you earn, moment by moment.
5. CHARGE’s Energy Gamechangers Awards highlight individuals who redefine how people connect with energy. What does this recognition mean for you and Arven, and how does it support your mission to build trust and engagement?
This recognition reinforces what we believe deeply: communication and engagement are as vital to the energy transition as technology. For Arven, it’s inspiration to keep building bridges. Turning energy from something distant and technical into something people can experience, understand, and be proud of.
As one of CHARGE’s Energy Gamechangers for 2025, Arven stands as a pioneering example of how energy engagement can be reimagined. By inviting the public behind the gates, transforming hydropower sites into living stories, and championing openness as the foundation of trust, Arven is helping Norway build an energy future shaped not just by technology, but by people. Their work proves that when communities feel connected to the energy around them, the transition becomes not only possible—but shared, embraced, and understood.