The forest company SCA is sketching a gigantic expansion of wind power in Norrland, and recently they chose to try to find out how Norrland's municipal politicians actually view wind power - today and in the future.
Although the response rate was relatively low, around 20 percent, the survey was valuable, believes Jon Persson, SCA's head of wind power since last autumn.
Economic values in return
- It is very clear in the survey that the municipalities want clear financial values back, he says.
SCA is a giant forest owner with 2.7 million hectares, and already today 20 percent of the country's wind turbines are on the company's land.
But the municipalities, with their veto, have great power over the establishments.
"Repowering" important part
SCA emphasizes that the large-scale expansion envisioned is not possible unless the handling of building permits is shortened and simplified.
- For us, it is also important how the permit handling will look like for what we call "repowering", i.e. renewing or modernizing wind turbines, we hope that it can be significantly shorter handling for that, says Jon Persson.
The issue of compensation to the municipalities is currently under investigation.
The new government recently tabled an addendum to the inquiry;
The state should not foot that bill.
Hear what SCA's wind power manager thinks about the investigation and the changed conditions in the clip.