Leaders say stalled compensation slows project approvals
The absence of promised government compensation for municipalities approving wind power is now holding back development, according to Sveriges Kommuner och Regioner, Green Power Sweden and Svensk Vindkraft.
The organisations said more than a year has passed without payments linked to the property tax being made.
They said the uncertainty is causing municipalities to reject a record share of projects, with over 90% of proposed wind farms declined so far this year.
This includes areas with electricity shortages in southern Sweden, where municipalities have approved only a fraction of what is needed.
The three organisations said the government pledged the compensation in its autumn 2024 budget to strengthen incentives to say yes to wind power.
They added that the decision has since stalled in bureaucracy, with the government office still preparing the model and the budget remaining unclear.
According to their figures more than SEK80m is missing already next year.
They said compensation for nearby residents and local communities has also not been implemented.
The organisations urged the government to act quickly, establish a transparent and predictable compensation model, adjust the approval process for municipalities and introduce payments for residents and local areas.
Anders Henriksson of Sveriges Kommuner och Regioner, Daniel Badman of Green Power Sweden and Per Olofsson of Svensk Vindkraft said Sweden needs more electricity quickly and warned that the chance to accelerate wind power could otherwise be lost.
