Municipalities in tailwind and head-wind: Lessons of possibilities and challenges from municipal planning for wind power since 2009 (Municipalities in tailwind and head-wind)

Two wind farm engineers walk away from the door way of a wind turbine. They are wearing orange hi vis jackets and blue hard hats. One is male , one is female. In the background wind turbines can be seen across the landscape down to a distant city. — Photographer: sturti

Swedish municipalities wield great influence over wind power expansion. At the same time, many municipalities are pressured by having to manage competing land use interests and national goals on the basis of uncertain knowledge about local benefits and risks of wind power establishments.

This project seeks to reduce uncertainty for municipalities through a systematic mapping and analysis of barriers and drivers for wind power establishments from a municipal perspective. It investigates how municipalities that actively plan to establish wind power build relationships with investors and handle land use conflicts, how local conflicts of interest result in municipal veto against wind power, and how the entry of new actors on the wind power market affect municipal planning. Through these three main tracks, the project contributes knowledge of how a changing energy market creates challenges and possibilities for municipalities planning for wind power.

The project is funded by the Swedish Energy Agency.