Stakeholder Desks

Norway

The National Desk of Norway is covering the windy region Fosen in Mid-Norway, west of Trondheim, the country’s third largest city. Fosen is a district dominated by forested valleys, lakes, coastal cliffs but also shallow areas, and in the interior, mountains reaching up to 675 meters. Stine Aakre, Senior Researcher and a Political Scientist at CICERO, coordinates Norway’s National Desk. She cooperates with Senior Researchers Kristin Linnerud (Economist) and Merethe D. Leiren (Political Scientist) and the Communications Officer Monica Bjermeland. Sissel Belgen Jakobsen at NVE is another central participant.

Haraheia Roan vindpark

Moreover, 22 stakeholders will help make this project as constructive as possible: investor and grid company Statkraft, energy utility company TrønderEnergi, wind energy association NORWEA, the Oil and Energy Ministry, the Environmental Protection Agency, the local governments Åfjord, Snillfjord and Roan, regional governments, the national tourist organization, six ENGOs and civil society organizations, and two indigenous peoples organizations.

“When inviting stakeholders, we put particular emphasis on including local communities in the target region”, coordinator Guri Bang said in the national stakeholder desk kick-off meeting.

Our goal is threefold: First, to investigate whether Norway, with its renewable energy surplus from hydro, actually needs to develop large wind energy projects. Second, find out how the tendency towards more foreign owners and investors affect social acceptance of wind power. Third, in the Fosen district, the wind power parks will encroach on the tradition, culture and livelihoods of the Sami population. Our studies will look at how human rights and concern for indigenous people plays out in the process.

In 2014, the penetration level of wind energy was 1.7% in Norway, but it is rapidly growing as more wind energy projects are being developed and connected to the grid.