The legal and regulatory barriers for the development of offshore wind farms in Sweden and Norway: A comparative study

Abstract

This thesis studies the current legal and regulatory barriers in the offshore wind industry on an international, regional and local perspective in particular in Sweden and Norway, two of the most important countries for the offshore wind industry.

Today offshore wind farms are a very important topic for the renewable energy sector but also for the fight against climate change and a transition towards greener societies. For coastal countries like Sweden and Norway, offshore wind farms have an undeniable potential that still needs to be exploited in order to bring benefits for the countries and the environment in general.

The research is divided into two main parts. The first part is theoretical where the author expands on the current legal framework of offshore wind on an international and regional level. Different global treaties and EU legislations focused on offshore wind farms are analyzed. The second part is more practical and has to do with the current developments, practice and challenges of the offshore wind industry in Sweden and Norway. Different legal and non-legal barriers are studies involving topics such as the legal framework in each country, the allocation system of offshore wind sites, the permitting process, and the importance of the offshore wind industry in both counties.

Finally, the thesis ends with a comparative analysis of the different findings around the current legal and regulatory barriers as well as different challenges of the offshore wind industry in both Sweden and Norway with some concluding remarks to establish which country has better conditions for an offshore wind industry and which country has a brighter future to really capitalize on the benefits that offshore wind farms have for the environment and for the development of these coastal countries.