Implementation of wind power in the Norwegian market; the reason why some of the best wind resources in Europe were not utilised by 2010

• Implementation of wind power in the Norwegian energy system up to 2010.
• The concession process, the support scheme and the marked players are considered.
• Uncertainty about the support scheme slowed down the implementation process.
• The concession process has been a bottleneck.
• The support scheme has only to a certain degree trigged investments.

Norway has some of the best wind resources in Europe. In 1999, the Norwegian Parliament committed to attain an annual onshore wind power production goal of 3.0 TWh by 2010; however, in 2010, onshore wind power production measured only 1.0 TWh. This article discusses the reasons that this goal was not achieved. The analysis addresses the key figures on the strategic, tactical and operational levels. This model is combined with a time line that seeks to define when different actors should have secured concessions1 and funding to achieve the goal. After introducing the time line, a list of questions is introduced for these key actors. The three-level model, the time line and the questions constitute the analytical framework. Explanations for the failure to achieve the goal may be identified on all three levels. However, the primary explanatory factors were political uncertainty in the support scheme and wind power's role in the energy market in general; both of these factors are identified on the strategic level. Uncertainty on the strategic level influenced the lower levels, which led to bottlenecks in the concession process and jittery investors who thought that the risk of investment in wind power was too high.