Social Aspects of Renewable Energy: Keys for Optimising the Energy Transition

Transcription

1 Social Aspects of Renewable Energy: Keys for Optimising the Energy Transition Leire Gorroño PhD Student, Aalborg University RE Future, 2018 Edition Nordic Folkecenter 15 May 2018

2 There are no longer technological or economic barriers for the quantum leap to 100% renewable energy Community Wind Power for the World, /30

3 REthinking Energy 2015, IRENA 2/30

4 Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2017, IRENA 3/30

5 REthinking Energy 2017, IRENA 4/30

6 Renewables 2017, Global Status Report, REN21 5/30

7 The current challenges for 100% RE are mainly social and political. 6/30

8 Management of fluctuating power 7/30

9 Annual Average Electricity Spot Price (EUR/MWh) Evolution of the Danish Spot Market Electricity Prices Year Total Hours per Year with Elspot Prices <11.4 EUR/MWh Price DK-Vest Price DK-Øst Hours DK-Vest Hours DK-Øst The Danish Wind Turbine Owners Association: 8/30

10 SMART ENERGY SYSTEMS, where electricity, heating & cooling and transport are integrated. 9/30

11 CHOICES ABOUT OWNERSHIP Who will own the energy systems of the future? Citizens Prosumers Local communities Large energy companies Investor groups 10/30

12 Energy Atlas 2018, Heinrich Böll Foundation, FoE Europe, EREF, GEF 11/30

13 How will choices about ownership models affect the outcomes of the energy transition in terms of: 1 Technology choices Costs Time 2 Environmental benefits Economic benefits Social benefits 12/30

14 Revenues from wind turbines are used to partly finance the harbour expansion and support the creation of 200 new jobs in a small village in western Denmark. 13/30

15 Local Opposition Currently there are about 110 groups against wind turbines in Denmark. Even if 80% of the Danes are in favour of wind turbines, 80% are against wind turbines to be built nearby their living places. (NIMBY effect) 14/30

16 Thisted Municipality 6 out 7 projects were rejected because of local protests No large wind turbines were built /30

17 Vattenfall tears down a village and erects wind turbines The energy company has bought most of a North Jutland village and torn houses down. Thus, the acidic neighbours are replaced by happy sellers. The townhouses are being torn down while the agricultural land is being rented, and residents in the area are well satisfied [ ]. They can now come up with houses that are otherwise difficult to sell. The municipalities are also happy because the wind turbine projects can be bigger and more coherent in this way. 16/30

18 Vattenfall s vandalism against a local community 17/30

19 Wind turbines are a win-win situation locally 18/30

20 The Swedish Vattenfall: We are here to grow and we will be very aggressive 19/30

21 Researcher: Vattenfall's model does not secure local support It does not give local development, when energy companies manage large wind farms 20/30

22 The enriched and the impoverished 21/30

23 Local opposition to wind turbines: jeopardises the fulfilment on national energy targets results in higher costs for the energy transition hinders local development and revitalisation of rural areas There will be no 100% RE without the acceptance of local communities. It is essential to find models that are acceptable. 22/30

24 It is not the wind turbines that local citizens oppose to, but the model behind the wind turbines. 23/30

25 Renewable Energy and Jobs. Annual Review 2018, IRENA 24/30

26 Renewables & Community Ownership for improvement of infrastructure, creation of new jobs, for finance for local schools in rural areas, for taking care of elder and/or ill people, addressing poverty and limited energy access, for supporting local organizations, for environmental projects, for local public e-transport, etc. Provide benefits not just for a few investors but for everybody in the community so they can all see renewable energy as a local improvement. 25/30

27 Wind Power & Community Ownership 27/30

28 Community Ownership New Development 100% Renewable Energy Acceptance Improved Economy Initiatives 28/30

29 Energy Atlas 2018, Heinrich Böll Foundation, FoE Europe, EREF, GEF 29/30

30 Final Recommendations Measures for the acceleration of the development of smart energy systems. (Ownership) models that are accepted by local communities. Raising awareness about community ownership for common good and the potentials for socio-economic benefits of RE for local communities. Integration of specific targets for community ownership in national, regional and municipal energy policies. Reasonable support schemes for RE projects with community ownership models: cost of production + community bonus 30/30

31 Communities for RE RE for Development of Communities

32 Leire Gorroño Thank you for your attention!