physics

Governance of hydropower in Scandinavia

Governance of hydropower in Scandinavia is a physics topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Governance of hydropower in Scandinavia rather than just read about it. In short: Governance of hydropower in Scandinavia, and the implementation of hydropower projects, is controlled by self-organising networks, with an open decision making process. Scandinavia is one of the largest producers of hydropower in the world.

Key takeaways

Governance of hydropower in Scandinavia belongs to physics; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Governance of hydropower in Scandinavia to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Governance of hydropower in Scandinavia from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Governance of hydropower in Scandinavia, and the implementation of hydropower projects, is controlled by self-organising networks, with an open decision making process. Scandinavia is one of the largest producers of hydropower in the world.

Hydropower in Scandinavia

Sweden

50% of electricity production comes from hydropower. Has over 1000 hydropower plants. The first state owned hydropower plant was developed in 1906.

Norway

95% of electricity production comes from hydropower and is the single largest producer of hydropower. Production capacity is around 31 GW in 2015. Production was 131 TWh in 2014, which is 62% of its potential hydropower of 214 TWh. Produces more electricity than it needs and looks to expand into Europe.

Denmark Has only three hydropower plants, powering 3000 homes, accounting for less than 0.1% of its total electricity production. Denmark is geographically small and relatively flat with no rivers suitable for hydropower. Imports most of its hydroelectricity from Sweden and Norway. Denmark has the lowest total energy intensity in EU.

Governance of Hydropower in Scandinavia National governments in Scandinavia consult with all stakeholders affected by hydropower plants. The interaction between stakeholders on hydropower projects in Norway can be classified as participatory governance. After the Scandinavian countries de-regulated their markets, they connected their individual markets into one common market, Nord Pool Spot. The energy that is not traded through the market is traded through contracts between suppliers, retailers and consumers.

Sweden The Swedish electricity market was deregulated in 1996, transforming the industry from a government hierarchical system to a governance steering structure. The law stated that ‘power trading and network operations may not be conducted by the same organisation but numerous organisations thus the production and trade of electricity became competitive. The industry would be regulated by public authorities, the Energy Market Inspectorate within the Swedish Energy Agency. Its responsibilities included monitoring network tariffs and ensuring that network operators do not subsidise other interests.

Denmark Most of Denmark's hydropower electricity comes from Norway and Sweden, supplied partly through Nord Pool Spot. Denmark has increased its renewable energy sources (wind and biomass) from approximately 0% in 1970 to 20% in 2005, which leaves them on target for the RES directive. Wind share was 39% in 2014.

Norway

The different levels of governance in Norway concerning hydropower can be seen through the economic interests, and the social responses, to the installation and expansion of hydropower projects.

Local level At the local level hydropower can have an enormous effect on communities; creating employment, improving infrastructure, and building new or enhanced roads. However, some communities can be resistant to hydropower, especially when local incomes are dependent on tourism. For example, fishing is an important recreational sport in Norway; and hydropower may prevent local people from participating. Also the installation of hydropower upon historic sites, and areas of natural beauty, is other major concern. Local communities have been known to bring in NGO's such as WWF Norway, or Friends of the Earth, in order to resist the installation of hydropower plants.

Regional The municipality's response to hydropower typically represents the response of local communities. Municipality must manage the concerns of the stakeholder's communities, energy companies and NGO's regarding the installation of hydropower plants. Various municipalities have shares and direct ownership of hydropower companies. Energy companies rely on municipalities to provide information on the local environment, and cooperate to create environmental impact assessments. This can involve numerous municipalities, as the watercourse may flow through several municipalities, and therefore are bound by regulations to work together on hydropower projects. Hydropower companies pay fees to the local municipalities in the form of taxes and license fees. Smaller hydropower plants are exempt from taxes in order to economically stimulate local development. The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) determines the license fees paid to municipalities by hydropower companies. The NVE assess various factors such as degree of environmental disturbance and the profitability of the project.

National level Hydropower has long been "associated with a nation-building process, representing the key infrastructure for economic growth and welfare, through electrification". In 1991 Norway de-regulated its market and these institutions became the network for governing hydropower in Norway:

The Ministry of Petroleum and Energy (MoPE): Energy policy of Norway, and thereby also the policies affecting hydropower. The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE): (Provides licences for hydropower plant projects) Managing Norway's water resources; promoting an efficient energy market and cost-effective energy system; and promoting efficient energy use. The Norwegian Directorate for Nature Management (DN) (Executive and advisory body for the MoPE): nature protection and management, the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, as well as outdoor recreation. The Norwegian Climate and Pollution Agency (KLIF): The regulation of pollutants related to energy production, or other factors affecting the chemical composition of watercourses. Directorate for Cultural Heritage (RA): the cultural landscape and provides for hearing comments on hydropower projects.

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Governance of hydropower in Scandinavia

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Governance of hydropower in Scandinavia claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In physics, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Governance of hydropower in Scandinavia before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Governance of hydropower in Scandinavia ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Governance of hydropower in Scandinavia

In research: Governance of hydropower in Scandinavia appears in physics research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Governance of hydropower in Scandinavia in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Governance of hydropower in Scandinavia is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Hydroelectricity in Denmark, Hydroelectricity in Norway, Hydroelectricity in Sweden, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Governance of hydropower in Scandinavia outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Governance of hydropower in Scandinavia in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Governance of hydropower in Scandinavia means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Governance of hydropower in Scandinavia out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Governance of hydropower in Scandinavia in simple terms?

Why does Governance of hydropower in Scandinavia matter?

Because it connects several physics ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Governance of hydropower in Scandinavia?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Governance of hydropower in Scandinavia.