Attityder och delaktighet vid etablering av vindkraft till havs

The political objectives on national and international levels towards a larger proportion of renewable energy require considerable planning activities on a local level. These activities inevitably must relate to the local community and its various groups; their culture, economy, social activities as well as their views on environmental problems and nature values. This applies to all energy plants. Wind power has previously been regarded as small-scale in character, as it has often been built as small groups of windmills. In recent years, wind power projects on a larger scale have been developed and established, making wind power more significant for the local community and its inhabitants. The present report is based on a study of views expressed by locals as regards a special kind of wind-power plant, namely large-scale, offshore wind power. The report aims at examining the coordination between different stakeholders; decision-makers, communities and entrepreneurs concerning two wind power projects: Lillgrund in The Sound (Öresund), and Utgrunden II in the Kalmar Strait (Kalmarsund). The report is intended to provide an understanding of attitudes and perceptions of risks and possibilities of various local stakeholders in these two cases. Conceptual tools are borrowed from our own studies as well as other researchers’ previous studies of attitudes, values, and forms of public participation. Since the study objective has been to seek the stakeholders’ own formulations of problems and opportunities concerning the projects, we have used a qualitative research design. Three types of techniques have been used to gather information: document analysis, field observations and in-depth interviews. Important to note is that the report is not based on statistical data of public attitudes. Positive as well as negative attitudes towards the two wind power projects have been analyzed in both regions. The positive attitude is mainly based on ethical values (wind is seen as an environmentally sound energy source that we should invest in), and for some also on material values (projects can create jobs and economic growth in the local community). The negative attitude is partly based on aesthetic values (scenery and local nature values are thought to be threatened) and a combination of substantive and ethical values (wind power is seen as unprofitable and inefficient). The analysis shows that there is need for increased knowledge, both through the provision of facts about economic and technical conditions of wind power and, as a reversed mediation of knowledge, by better understanding of local stakeholders’ conceptions of wind power projects. Criticism of wind power is largely based on a view that it could not be an effective way to produce energy, and that it could not possibly bear its own costs. Thus, wind power entrepreneurs should clearly show environmental benefits, profitability and efficiency in a specific project draft. Moreover, negative emotions towards wind power projects are closely associated with aesthetic values. We were able to note that the scale of the projects had given rise to greater hesitation and more concern about visual intrusion. It is therefore essential to take human experience seriously, for example by maintaining a dialogue around each specific project from an aesthetic point of view in order to establish what local values and experiences are thought to be threatened, and how the project might be altered

Konstruksjon og dimensjonering av trapp-/heistårn med plattform og landgang

Oppgåva tar for seg konstruksjon og dimensjonering av eit trapp-/heistårn med plattform og landgang. Tårnet skal fungere som bindeledd mellom land og flyterigger som kjem inn til bedrifta Westcon for reparasjon/vedlikehald. Ulike norske standardar er brukt som dimensjoneringsgrunnlag. Berekningsprogrammet STAAD.pro er brukt til å utføre berekningane. Konstruksjonen er blitt sett på som tredelt. Tårn, plattform og landgang. For kvar del er det blitt sett på ulike utformingar og løysingar. Til slutt er det sett på heile konstruksjonen under eitt, og ei løysing er anbefalt

The effects of wind power on Red-throated divers

Vindkraftsetableringar i Sverige ökar och har ökat kraftigt de senaste åren. Etableringen leder till att olika intressen krockar med varandra och hänsyn måste tas till drabbade arter som exempelvis smålom (Gavia stellata). Fåglar drabbas direkt och indirekt genom bland annat kollisioner, habitatförluster och störningar som kan leda till undvikande beteenden vid vindkraftverk. Olika rekommenderade skyddszoner för fågelarter används i dagsläget. Den nuvarande rekommendationen för smålom är på en kilometer och baseras på expertutlåtande, vetenskapliga rekommendationer samt försiktighetsprincipen. Vid vindkraftsetablering krävs miljökonsekvensanalyser samt rekommenderas utlåtanden från experter och ornitologer för att avgöra huruvida specifika områden är särskilt känsliga för mänsklig exploatering. Dagens forskning visar på olika grader av mortalitet och habitatpåverkan för fåglar i allmänhet. Det handlar främst om kollisioner mellan fåglar och vindkraftverk samt att etableringen av vindkraftverken ofta sammanfaller med områden där fåglarna häckar eller födosöker. Syftet med studien var att sammanställa den nuvarande kunskapen om vindkraftens påverkan på smålom. För att besvara detta kombinerades litteraturstudier med rumsliga analyser i GIS verktyget QGIS. Analysen i QGIS begränsades till Västerbottens län, men aktuell forskning har studerats oberoende av område med hjälp av litteraturstudier. Buffertzoner på en respektive fem kilometer skapades för att kalkylera andel smålomshabitat inom zonerna för alla vindkraftverk i Västerbotten. Resultatet visar att en väldigt liten del av de klassade smålomshabitaten hamnar inom buffertzonerna. Antalet bekräftade häckningsplatser för smålom var som störst inom buffertzonerna på fem kilometer och betydligt färre inom en kilometer. Behovet av utökade skyddszoner till smålom är i dagsläget svår att bedöma men det finns belägg för att dagens rekommendation är tillräcklig, som exempelvis att antalet häckningsplatser inom skyddszonerna i Västerbotten är få.The establishment of wind turbines in Sweden is increasing and has been increasing the last few years. Different interests need to be considered since this establishment often leads to clashing interests. Consideration for species such as the Red-throated diver (Gavia stellata) needs to be taken into account. Birds are affected directly and indirectly through collisions and habitat loss. Different recommendations are applied today regarding protective zones. The current recommendation for Red-throated diver is one kilometre and is based on expert assessment, scientific recommendations, and a general precautionary principle. Environmental impact analyses are required when establishing wind farms and verdicts from experts and ornithologists are recommended to assess whether certain habitats are more or less sensitive for anthropological exploitation, such as wind farm establishment. Current research indicates varying levels of mortality and habitat effects on birds as a whole. Primarily habitat loss and collisions are mentioned since wind turbines generally are placed in areas where birds forage and breed. The purpose of this study was to compile the current knowledge regarding the effects of wind power on the Red-throated diver. To answer this, a combination of literature studies and analyses in QGIS was used. For the GIS-analysis, the area of interest was limited to Västerbotten county, Sweden. The results show that a very small part of the classified Red-throated diver habitats coincide with the QGIS created buffer zones around wind turbines. The number of confirmed nesting sites for Red-throated diver was largest in the five kilometre buffer zones and smallest for the one kilometre zones. It is difficult to establish whether the current use of protective zones is sufficient, but evidence suggests that the recommended use of protective zones is enough since a very small amount of the reported nesting sites are found within the created buffer zones around wind farms in Västerbotten

Sveriges förnyelsebara energilandskap

Det globala klimatet håller på att förändras, och den globala energiproduktionen står inför en oundviklig och omfattande omställning bort från fossila bränslen. I denna omställning kommer elektrifiering och en ökad produktion från förnyelsebara energikällor att utgöra centrala åtgärder. På grund av de fossila bränslenas och de förnyelsebara energikällornas skilda rumsliga egenskaper kommer denna omställning att innebära en framväxt av nya energilandskap. För det svenska energisystemet kommer omställningen att innebära en omfattande utbyggnad av produktionen av solenergi och vindkraft. För att denna utbyggnad ska bli så hållbar som möjligt krävs en fördjupad förståelse av relationen mellan solenergi, vindkraft och utvecklingen av landskap, inte minst sett till markanvändning. Inom fältet fysisk planering har förståelse av energiproduktionens ytanspråk tidigare präglats av abstrakta idéer om area och energidensitet. Genom att kartlägga svensk solenergi och vindkraft utifrån tidigare markanvändning syftar denna uppsats till att bidra till en mer landskapsintegrerad förståelse för omställningen mot en mer förnyelsebar energiproduktion. Vidare använder uppsatsen teoretiska perspektiv på ekosystemtjänster och förnyelsebara energilandskap för att analysera resultatet kartläggningen och diskutera utvecklingen av svenska landskap utifrån ett hållbarhetsperspektiv. Slutligen används resultatet av kartläggningen för att skapa regionala scenarier för framtida produktion av solenergi och vindkraft. Detta görs i syfte att ytterligare fördjupa förståelsen för relationen mellan solenergin, vindkraften och hållbara landskap. Resultatet av de empiriska undersökningarna och analysen indikerar att solenergi- och vindkraftsproduktionen riskerar att tränga ut andra funktioner i svenska landskap. Resultatet pekar på en möjlig trend där framtida förnyelsebara energilandskap, i likhet med traditionella fossila energilandskap, är landskap där energiproduktion dominerar på bekostnad av andra funktioner. Utifrån Energimyndighetens (2021a; 2021b) strategiska dokument för framtidens elektrifiering identifieras en tendens där perifera landskap blir energiproducerande landskap, medan konsumtionen i huvudsak sker i stadsnära landskap. Således riskerar tillgången på en mångfald av ekosystemtjänster i perifera landskap att försämras, samtidigt som nyttan av energiproduktionen koncentreras någon annan stans. Detta resultat indikerar att den pågående utvecklingen av solenergi- och vindkraftsproduktion i Sverige riskerar att skapa mindre hållbara landskap, inte minst sett till social hållbarhet. Den slutsats som dra är därför att det finns ett behov av att förstå omställningen mot mer hållbara energisystem inte bara som en fråga om optimal och effektiv användning av teknologier. Det finns också ett behov av att förstå omställningen från det lokala landskapets perspektiv och att kritiskt diskutera vad som utgör acceptabla nivåer av energikonsumtion i relation till vilken typ av landskap vi vill ha i framtiden.The global climate is changing. Thus, the global energy production system is facing an unavoidable and large-scale transition away from fossil fuels. In this transition, electrification and expansion of the production of energy from renewable sources will constitute central measures. However, due to the different spatial qualities of fossil fuels and renewable energy sources, this transition will result in the emergence of new types of so called energyscapes. For the Swedish energy system, the transition implies an extensive expansion of solar and wind power production. In order to ensure that this expansion will be as sustainable as possible, there is a need for a more in-depth understanding of the relationship between solar- and wind power and the development of landscapes, in particular from the perspective of land-use. Within the sector of strategic planning, previous understanding of the land-claim of energy production has been dominated by abstract ideas of area and energy density. This thesis aims to contribute to a more landscape integrated understanding of the transition towards more renewable energy production by mapping Swedish solar- and wind power in relation to previous land use. The thesis further uses theoretical perspectives on ecosystem services and sustainable renewable energyscapes to analyze the results of the mapping and discuss the development of Swedish landscapes from a sustainability perspective. Lastly, the results of the mapping are used to create scenarios for future regional production of solar- and wind power. This is done with the purpose of further deepening the understanding of the relationship between solar- and wind power production and sustainable landscapes. The result of the empirical research and the analysis indicates that solar and wind power production are at risk of dislocating other functions in the Swedish landscapes. The result points towards a trend where future renewable energyscapes, in similarity with traditional fossil energyscapes, are landscapes where energy production is dominant at the cost of other functions. Based on strategic documents on the future of electrification from the Swedish Energy Agency (2021a; 2021b), a tendency is identified where landscapes in the periphery become landscapes of energy production, whilst the consumption mainly takes place in urban landscapes. This means that access to a diversity of ecosystem services in peripheral landscapes is at risk of being diminished, whilst the yield of the energy production is accumulated elsewhere. This result indicates that the current development of solar- and wind power production in Sweden risks creating less sustainable landscapes, not at least regarding social sustainability. Conclusively, there is a need to understand the transition towards more sustainable energy systems not only as a question of optimal and efficient use of technologies. There is a need to understand the transition also from the vantage point of the local landscape and to critically discuss what constitutes acceptable levels of energy consumption in relation to what kind of landscapes we wish for in the future

Underlag för framtagande av en uppförandekod för Finlands vindkraftsektor

Denna rapport är ett förslag på vad en uppförandekod för Finlands vindkraftsbransch kunde innehålla. Materialet till texten har samlats från rapporter och dokument från andra länder som beskriver hur ett gott tillvägagångssätt för aktörer inom vindkraftsbranschen kan se ut. Finländska bestämmelser som berör vindkraftsbranschen tas även upp i denna text. Rapporten fungerar som underlag för framtagande av en kortare och mera koncis version som sedan ämnas publiceras i samarbete med branschorganisationer

How the changed geopolitical situation could have affected the risk communication and public debate regarding renewable energy in Norway?

This Master Thesis has explored the relationship between risk communication regarding onshore wind energy in Norway and external circumstances. Land-based wind turbines are a highly polarized topic among the citizens, and the development of this renewable energy has encountered substantial opposition throughout the nation. One faction comprises the governing bodies advocating for reducing fossil fuel usage and increasing the adoption of renewable energy sources. Conversely, the local inhabitants and other groups express concerns that installing wind turbines adversely impacts the natural environment. However, a chain of events including prohibitive electricity prices in Norway, unprecedented energy demand in Europe, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, has led to looking at windmills from a different angle. Based on the research question “How the changed geopolitical situation could have affected the risk communication and public debate regarding renewable energy in Norway?”, 3 hypotheses were formulated: 1) The effectiveness of a bottom-up inclusive approach to risk communication regarding onshore wind turbines in Norway surpasses that of a top-down approach. 2) Minimal involvement of interest groups in risk communication contributes to achieving successful outcomes of that communication. 3) A potential shortage of energy sources within the country, resulting from external factors, may contribute to a rise in the willingness to accept risks. A combination of two methods has been employed to conduct the research. In 2019, Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate issued a proposal for a nationwide framework on onshore wind power, which played a pivotal role in stimulating intense debates and protests in Norway. Therefore, we recognized the significance of conducting a content analysis to examine the fundamental factors that trigger such a strong societal reaction. To monitor and evaluate changes in risk communication among key stakeholders as well as shape their narrative, discourse analysis is chosen as the most suitable approach. The results of this research provide compelling evidence indicating that a bottom-up inclusive approach to risk communication regarding onshore wind energy in Norway has proven to be much more effective, despite the fact that traditionally the Norwegian government uses top-down risk communication. Among other findings is that minimal involvement of interest groups in risk communication doesn’t contribute to positive results. On the contrary, in certain circumstances it can lead to societal radicalization, and heightened tension between stakeholders, thus jeopardizing the whole risk communication. The interplay between rising prices and the increasing impact of the Eastern region on energy demand in Europe has noticeably affected how people perceive risks associated with alternative energy sources. Specifically, the public's viewpoint regarding the development of onshore wind farms has shifted from strong disagreement to somewhat agreement