A new wind energy law will guarantee municipalities more power – NRK Vestland

A new wind energy law will guarantee municipalities more power – NRK Vestland

The government will send one on Friday Suggestion Regarding amending the Energy Law and the Planning and Building Law. The motive is to give municipalities more power in matters of wind energy.

We want to give local governments more control. Increased participation of municipalities and local communities is essential to legitimizing these processes, says Local Government Minister Sigbjørn Gjelsvik (Sp).

The deadline for consultation on the proposal is February 27, and the goal is to implement the new rules from this summer.

Bill follows a An encouraging decision From Parliament that new wind energy developments should be moved from the Energy Act to the Planning and Building Act.

– Increased participation of municipalities and local communities is essential to legitimizing these processes, says Municipal Minister Sigbjørn Gjelsvik (Sp).

Photo: Terje Pedersen/NTB

– A tall country like Norway has enough of nature

The decision came after an agreement between the parties on the need for “more comprehensive operations” and greater local participation in the wind energy issue.

The same acknowledgment meant wind energy development was put on hold in 2019.

But last year, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store (AP) declared it was time to start. Behind the song were expectations of current use and a tense energy situation.

– I like to believe that a tall country like Norway has enough nature to do this in a nice way, he told NRK.

Jenny Folling (Sp) is the mayor of Sunnfjord, who will decide on a potential candidate this winter The wind farm at Hoyangerfjellet.

She says it is positive that there is a change in the law that would give municipalities a hand in wind energy matters.

But I am surprised at the short consultation period. The state has spent two years on this matter, and the municipalities are given a consultation period of one and a half months.

Høyanger’s mayor, Peter Sortland (Ap), told NRK that he’s wondering the same thing.

Åslaug Haga - Wind power

– We want to give local public authorities more control, says Municipal Minister Sigbjørn Gjelsvik (Sp).

Photo: William Jobling/NRK

production tax and base interest tax

Several steps have been taken in the past year to involve and compensate municipalities that provide natural resources to councils.

  • In 2022, A.J production fee which is the responsibility of the host municipalities. From 2023, it is set at 2 øre per kWh.
  • Moreover, ground rent tax has been introduced for onshore wind power plants from 2023.

Today, the main rule is that municipalities grant permits for wind power in afterwards The project has obtained a license.

In the legislative proposal of the government, land uses will be clarified in accordance with the Planning and Building Law – to License is granted.

Simply explained: the regulation of wind energy development is transferred from the Energy Law to the Planning and Building Law (where the municipal council has the final say).

– In the past, municipalities have taken the risk of changing a project they said yes to before it was built, so that it ends up, for example, with higher turbines than they thought. We’ll correct that, says Jelsvik.

wind power in Rouen, Vossen, turbines,

– It’s positive that there will be a change in the law that gives municipalities a hand in wind energy matters, says Jenny Volling (Sp), Mayor of Sunnfjord.

Photo: Ingrid Lindgaard Stranden/no

We must strengthen the balance of power

Oil and Energy Minister Terje Asland (AP) adds that the overall goal is to facilitate further wind power development – “to enhance the energy balance and reach national climate goals”.

– Now we transfer power to the municipalities. This will provide a more predictable framework and help reduce the level of conflict in wind energy situations.

NVE It predicts an increase in energy consumption in Norway of 36 TWh until 2040.

in Hurdal platform Write to the Støre government that they will “ensure that communities that provide natural resources get more in return”.

Press conference by Oil and Energy Minister Terje Asland on the framework conditions for offshore wind development in the South North Sea II and Utsera Nord

– We are now transferring power to the municipalities, says Oil and Energy Minister Terje Asland (AP).

Photo: Gorm Kallestad/NTB

A clarification we have been waiting for for a long time

Cloudberry Clean Energy Director Andreas Thun Asheim calls the bill “an important illustration for municipalities and the wind energy industry.”

This is a clarification we have been waiting for for a long time. Municipalities can now formalize the veto power they used to have.

It is positive that the district process runs parallel to the licensing process, he says, “but there may be challenges associated with long periods between reviews of the district portion of the municipal scheme.”

Hopefully, more municipalities will now go through their regions, assessing where wind energy might be relevant, not least when it isn’t. We will now study the government’s proposal in more detail, and then we hope that the government will listen to the industry and introduce a neutral ground rent tax for new projects, so that it will be possible to realize new wind energy projects in those municipalities that want more power.

Hanisi Anenih

Hanisi Anenih

"Web specialist. Lifelong zombie maven. Coffee ninja. Hipster-friendly analyst."

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