Swedish wind power expansion: Conflicting responsibilities between state and municipalities

Abstract

Sweden has experienced two decades of wind power expansion and enters a broad diffusion phase. In this study the aim is to deepen the knowledge of the municipal role in this phase in relation to national wind power policy. Local public officials and politicians was interviewed in fourteen Swedish municipalities. The results show that municipal representatives experience great uncertainty about the responsibilities and incentives they have in the energy transition – responsibilities that are difficult to interpret but also difficult to realize in practice. In conclusion, unclear State policy, increased social resistance, lacking municipal capabilities, and a market-driven planning regime adds a burden of incongruous responsibility on municipalities, which risks enforcing uncertainties in the transition of the national energy system. The study brings socio-technical insight to the global expansion of renewable energy within decentralized political systems.