Finding the right place - The story about an offshore wind power project

Abstract: The Swedish parliament has committed the country to a strong development of renewable energy resources. The present political goal is to increase renewable electricity production with additional 10 TWh by 2010. However, the electricity market reformation in 1996 entailed a disengagement of public agents? operating responsibility for the energy sector. Thus, a reformed electricity market means politicians must entrust the market actors, i.e. the electricity producers, for undertaking real measures realizing their objectives. In fact, politicians expect them to do so. Offshore wind power by many is believed to represent a large potential of the additional production capacity needed to fulfil the political objective. Yet, achieving the necessary permissions is a long, laborious and hazardous process. The question of where to locate wind power facilities is a process involving several organizations, representing a diversity of special interests, which they for different reasons try to pursue. This study investigates the application process for the large-scale offshore wind power project Fladen, pursued by Göteborg Energi AB. By applying the perspective of Göteborg Energi, the study directs interest to understand the characteristics of their decision-making process concerning the project, the evaluation of the decisive factors and the underlying reasons for undertaking the project. In doing so, the study scrutinizes how much real authority these entrusted market actors actually possess when it comes to realizing concrete investment opportunities in offshore wind power facilities.