Now the government wants to compensate for wind power
For several years, Region Norrbotten has been working for natural resource fees – that part of the value from, for example, wind power, hydropower and mines should accrue to the places where they are extracted. Now we have come some way. The government is proposing state support for municipalities that say yes to wind power.
The idea is that a supplement to the municipal treasury will make municipalities more motivated to agree to new wind power. But the proposal also includes compensation for municipalities that have already said yes to wind power.
The proposal is that the state support should correspond to the property tax that wind power in the municipality has given rise to. The investment amounts to 340 million SEK next year. For 2026, 370 million SEK is estimated and in 2027 it will be 400 million SEK.
The investment is not on par with that in Finland, where a single wind turbine can generate municipal tax revenue of SEK 330 annually. But Region Norrbotten is positive about the announcement.
“Important step”
- It is an important step in the right direction, even if we do not have all the details of the design clear to us. It is pleasing that existing wind power production is also covered by the support, so that municipalities that have taken the lead and taken on a great responsibility are not disadvantaged, says Anders Öberg, Chairman of the Regional Board of Region Norrbotten.
The idea behind the government's initiative is to accelerate the expansion of onshore wind power, which often ends up with a municipal veto. There has simply been no incentive whatsoever for municipalities to say yes.
“Speed up electricity production”
- The proposal as it stands today may not go all the way, but we are happy to be part of continued conversations about how the support is designed to really make a difference. Our report Norrbotten: Industrial transition and its socio-economic effects shows that without extensive investments in electricity networks and electricity production, industrial establishment can be delayed or not occur at all. We simply have to speed up energy production, and then onshore wind power is the fastest alternative, says Anders Öberg.
The government's proposal is one of several in the area of electrification and green transition.
Text: Sara Stylbäck Vesa