Video: Renewable energy and public participation in the Nordics

Nordic Energy Research, who funds NEEN, has travelled through the Nordics to talk to thought leaders and to explore Nordic examples of renewable energy source co-operation. Together with Thought Leader Global, Nordic Energy Research has produced eight corporate films that each focus on a specific issue.

The seventh video deals with Renewable energy and public participation in the Nordics. It features the one of the profiles on NEEN’s list of female energy experts – Sonja Berlijn – as well as Malene Lundén from Sams Elsa Berg, Berglind Ran Olafsdottir, CEO of ON Power, Tanja Winther, Professor at the University of Oslo, and Christina Bu, Secretary General at Norwegian EV Association.

“The language of sustainability and communication and participation is actually the key to connect us,” says Malene.

“People have forgotten all the technology behind [electricity] and forgotten how important it is. But if you can participate actively and you see OK, if I charge my phone I need the wind turbine at least to move a little bit, I think it will create more awarenessof where it comes from and more understanding. And also, I think it makes people willing to actively then contribute and also to be more aware of energy savings, at least I hope so,” says Sonja.

“Climate policy has come quite far in terms of really taking in that we need to do something, we need to be very careful. What about learning from that and also make policies for nature? where we get some help at the moment is actually the social movement. It’s telling policy makers that we need to have people on board here to make changes. And for us, that is a way into examining what are the questions here on equality. Whose interests are really here represented and whose are ignored?” says Tanja.

“I’m so lucky actually to be a part of this time, to really try to do my best to speed up this transition. It’s really meaningful for me to be a part of the climate movement, to make change happen,” says Elsa.