Government abandons national framework for land-based wind power

On 1 March 2019 the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) presented a draft national framework plan for land-based wind power. The framework consists of an updated knowledge base and a map showing the 13 areas that NVE has assessed as suitable for land-based wind power.

The public hearing on the national framework resulted in more than 5,000 responses, including 56 from municipalities. Of these municipalities, 49 expressed their scepticism towards land-based wind power projects.

Following the public hearing, the government abandoned its plan to finalise and approve a national framework for land-based wind power. Prime Minister Erna Solberg declared that the framework's purpose was to reduce the conflict that land-based wind power has experienced in recent years. However, the public hearing showed that the framework may have had the opposite effect.

In anticipation of the public hearing, the NVE put all concession applications on hold. Now, it has been decided that the existing concession-granting system must be reviewed, and existing and future applications for new wind power projects remain on hold. It is expected that this review will be concluded before Summer 2020, after which the processing of these applications will be resumed.

For further information on this topic please contact Peter Aall Simonsen or Caroline Waller at Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig AS​ by telephone (+47 51 82 32 00) or email (pes@svw.no or cwa@svw.no). The Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig AS website can be accessed at www.svw.no.