Is local always best? Social acceptance of small hydropower projects in Norway.

Small-scale development of renewable energy has been identified as one possible solution to meet future energy needs and is well aligned with the general European trend towards further development of community energy projects. Increased local energy production will move energy plants closer to habitation, placing aspects related to social acceptance at the center stage [1, 2]. Until recently, small hydro power [3] projects in Norway have been owned by local farmers and others with property rights to rivers. As the profitability of these projects has decreased, international investors have taken interest in SHP projects as part of their long-term investment strategy. In this paper, we study what influences social acceptance of SHP projects in Norway based on interviews and qualitative data from different SHP projects in Norway. We find that community energy projects often are attributed positive qualities when ownership is local. Thus, we argue that there is a need to consider more thoroughly how to organize ownership of small-scale renewables in the future, if it is to uphold its position as a popular and viable solution to meet future energy needs [3]

Lokal von, global ambisjon. Framveksten av småkraftverk i Noreg etter 2000

Abstract Since 2000, extensive expansion of small hydropower has taken place in Norway. Landowners and power companies have played key roles. This study from the County of Sogn and Fjordane and the national level indicates that differences in the publicly owned companies' strategies can explain the widely different ways small power plants got organized and owned. Regional power companies empowered farmers to establish independent and self-owned power plants, while power companies operating on a national level signed long-term lease contracts of waterfalls with landowners and took control of the plants. These contracts and power plants were later sold to foreign companies

Sentrum og periferi: eit varig modelltyranni? norsk historieskriving i fagkritisk perspektiv

Omgrepa «sentrum» og «periferi» fekk ein sentral plass i norsk metodestrid i 1970-åra. Ordskiftet vart eit møte mellom to vitskaplege disiplinar: empirisk orientert historiefag og teori- og modellbyggjande samfunnsvitskap. Artikkelen påviser at nemnde omgrep prega norsk historieskriving i 100 år før striden. Etter 1970 vart dei formande for organisering og skriving av lokal og regional historie i Noreg. Metodiske problem ved dette vert løfta fram. Forfattaren set også eigne tekstar i fagkritisk perspektiv

Lokal von, global ambisjon. Framveksten av småkraftverk i Noreg etter 2000.

Since 2000, extensive expansion of small hydropower has taken place in Norway. Landowners and power companies have played key roles. This study from the County of Sogn and Fjordane and the national level indicates that differences in the publicly owned companies' strategies can explain the widely different ways small power plants got organized and owned. Regional power companies empowered farmers to establish independent and selfowned power plants, while power companies operating on a national level signed longterm lease contracts of waterfalls with landowners and took control of the plants. These contracts and power plants were later sold to foreign companies

Legitimeringa av norsk småkraft

Med perspektiv frå pragmatisk sosiologi undersøkjer artikkelen kva verdiar som har legitimert utbygginga av småkraftverk i Noreg etter år 2000. Situasjonar der styremaktene i det offentlege ordskiftet må grunngje standpunkt og satsingar, vert undersøkt. Studien finn at styremaktene på kort tid har mobilisert ulike grunngjevingar i spennet frå lokale til globale omsyn for å grunngje småkraft-satsinga. Som politisk saksfelt er småkraftfeltet kjenneteikna av stadige kompromiss mellom ulike verdiordenar. I ein tidleg fase var verdiskaping i distrikta (kollektiv verdiorden) og auke i fornyeleg energi (industriell og grøn verdiorden) dominerande. I ein seinare fase var monetære verdiar (marknadens verdiorden) meir framståande

Local hope, global ambition. The emergence of small hydropower in Norway after 2000.

Since 2000, extensive expansion of small hydropower has taken place in Norway. Landowners and power companies have played key roles. This study from the County of Sogn and Fjordane and the national level indicates that differences in the publicly owned companies' strategies can explain the widely different ways small power plants got organized and owned. Regional power companies empowered farmers to establish independent and selfowned power plants, while power companies operating on a national level signed longterm lease contracts of waterfalls with landowners and took control of the plants. These contracts and power plants were later sold to foreign companies.publishedVersio

Sogn og Fjordane: Lærarfylket

Ikkje i noko fylke i Noreg har læraryrket vore so populært mellom ungdommar som i Sogn og Fjordane. Slik er det i våre dagar. Slik har det vore i meir enn hundre år