Core activity - Policy and Governance
Contemporary society is already in possession of the technology necessary both to achieve reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, and to increase the share of renewable energy as a proportion of total energy consumption However, social, economic and political factors often act as obstacles in the path of realisation and innovation and of such technologies. Policy and Governance intends therefore to analyse these and other factors which influence the achievement of national, regional and global policy targets. It is also important to pave the way for innovation to promote the future energy system and society as a whole. However, this depends on implementing the right policy instruments and create suitable political framework for the business and research sector.
Renewable energy policy making in the EU - The role of Norwegian stakeholders
This was an analytical project financed in-house and designed to evaluate and analyse how Norwegian stakeholders aim to influence and monitor decisions made by the EU regarding increased efforts to promote renewable energy, particularly via the new Renewables Directive.
The project resultet in the following report: "Renewable energy policy making in the EU: What has been the role of Norwegian stakeholders?" av Audun Ruud og Jørgen K. Knudsen (TR A6860.pdf).
Grønn Boks (Green Box)
Green Box is not a separate project conducted under the auspices of SINTEF, but an important lobbying and communications forum designed to promote renewable energy in Norway. The project was launched by the Norwegian Electricity Industry Association (EBL), together with various Norwegian power companies and environmental NGOs. During the period 27–29 January 2009, 48 of the leading national experts and decision-makers in the field of climate-friendly energy technologies were sequestered for 48 hours in the Clarion Hotel in Oslo. The participants were divided into eight groups and were given the task of developing eight projects with the capability of providing the greatest and quickest climate change-mitigating impact by the year 2020. The projects were then presented to the politicians, together with advices as to how they might facilitate implementation of the initiatives. Our team leader Audun Ruud was one of the invited experts and participated in the Electricity Grid Group.
Styrket realisering av fornybar energi (A consolidated exploitation of renewable energy)
This project was initiated by ProSus in the late autumn of 2008 and subsequently continued by the new research team Policy and Governance under the auspices of SINTEF Energy Research early in 2009. The client was the Norwegian Electricity Industry Association (EBL), which required input to the Norwegian debate on the implementation of power generation from renewable sources. Our task was to draw on know-how from Denmark and Sweden by taking as our starting point actual conditions as experienced by the energy project owners themselves, together with their views on regulatory frameworks and political realities.
Promoting Sustainable Electricity in Europe (SUSTEN)
The project ‘Promoting Sustainable Electricity in Europe’ (SUSTEN), was initiated and coordinated by ProSus, based at the University of Oslo. The project carried out a comparative analysis of the degree of follow-up across 8 European countries of the EU Renewable Electricity Directive (RES-E, Dir. 2001/77/EC). The project resulted in the following book containing analytical data from each of the countries studied: William M. Lafferty & Audun Ruud (eds.) (2008): Promoting Sustainable Electricity in Europe: Challenging the Path Dependency of Dominant Energy Systems.
Environmental Policy Integration (EPI)
A key element of research activity at ProSus was directed towards improved means of political and strategic governance designed to achieve sustainable development targets. Environmental Policy Integration (EPI) represents an important instrument in this regard.
