Home
Bergen Energy Lab (BEL)
WEBINAR

Community benefits and renewable energy projects: the case of offshore wind

Offshore wind installation
Photo:
Colourbox.com / #291686

Main content

You can watch the webinar here

Abstract:
Renewable energy (electricity) forms are rapidly changing energy markets in the 21. century. More and more possibilities to generate clean, renewable and relatively affordable energy are rising due to technological development, states’ and investors’ participation as well as also consumer preference or even consumer-led initiatives.

The construction of renewable energy facilities does not come without resistance, however. While citizens tend to support renewable energy projects in abstract it is well documented that when citizens are met with concrete projects their support decreases and opposition is found.  Furthermore, research shows that renewable energy developments experience political, planning and public acceptance challenges In the case of wind energy, public perception – due to the visual impact of the farm among other factors – is a generalized issue in Europe and other countries around the world.

Some countries require or encourage renewable energy developers the concession of benefits to the hosting communities to address the local resistance, seek community acceptance and create a sense of distributive energy justice.  This could be in the form of local investments, funds, other forms or retributions, and even in some cases, such as in Denmark, allowing communities to have a right of co-ownership over the facility.

In this webinar we will discuss different models of community benefits required by governments or voluntarily granted by companies concerning offshore wind projects in the North Sea, including Denmark, England, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Scotland, and discuss up to what extent the fact that wind farms are located more and more outside the coast might alter the traditional perception of community benefits for renewable energy projects.
 

 

Webinar speaker
Ignacio Herrera Anchustegui from the Faculty of Law, UiB 

 

Guidelines for our virtual seminars: 

  • Link to join here
  • "Doors open" at 12pm. From 12-12.15 you will be able to present yourself and be introduced to the rest of the participants.
  • After 12.15 and whenever you are not speaking please mute your microphone, as this can disturb others.
  • If you have a comment or a question please use the chat function (speech bubble on the options panel) to signal you have a question.
  • The moderator will introduce you when it is your turn to ask a question – Remember to unmute your microphone!