Changing Wind and Solar Licensing Processes: Implications for Local Influence and Democratic Fairness

Norway aims to develop more wind and solar power plants to reach its climate targets, meet its skyrocketing demand for renewable power and industry development, and uphold an acceptable security of energy supply. However, over the last years new electricity generation projects have been stymied by changed energy policy narratives and public backlash, legitimacy crises, lack of local support and challenges for involvement and democratic fairness, with additional roots in land-use disputes and nature impacts. As a response, the Norwegian authorities reformed the wind power licensing scheme in 2022. Not long after, the process for utility-scale solar PV licensing followed. The licensing processes for wind and solar diverge in design, but share a vision of improving influence for host municipalities and thereby legitimacy and local acceptance. While the municipalities now have gained the formal competence to stop wind and solar power developments, these developments are challenging to manage for local municipalities given the high degree of polarization of renewable energy developments. Using an energy democracy approach linking governance, regulation and policy change to institutions, actors and interests, this paper analyses the Norwegian reforms of the wind power and solar licensing regimes in terms of local participation and influence. We are interested in the implications of these changes for local democratic and public administrative capacity, technical knowledge needs, and citizen influence. The paper addresses continuity and change in energy politics by tracing the process of the policy changes in wind and solar licensing and the implications for renewable technology diffusion, as well as outcomes in terms of perceived legitimacy of developments. It rests on empirical data from three conducted and seven planned interviews with developers, politicians, and public officials, as well as policy and licensing documents, and media articles for wind power processes and current solar power processes. The preliminary indications show that increased municipality influence on national developments is not a silver bullet for democratic fairness and meaningful participation. Local anchoring of the developments is crucial. But while the legitimacy of the renewable developments in Norway was negatively impacted by a highly centralized and top-down licensing system, the local municipalities are not always equipped to manage controversial processes like this in an effective and fair manner. We tentatively conclude that simply allowing municipalities the formal competence to influence and determine renewable developments is insufficient, without facilitating the institutional capacity and planning expertise required to manage emerging land use conflicts, polarised community engagement, and a fair approach to resource distribution. In addition, there is a paradox in that while the climate emission reductions commitments and energy transition goals are national responsibilities, local authorities in sum have a large influence on the ability to successfully reach national goals. This puts pressure on incentives for municipalities and other arrangements for securing local authorities’ support.