This document discusses how local embeddedness of wind energy production can contribute to sustainable rural development. It examines case studies of wind energy parks in Belgium. The document outlines that wind energy represents a transition to more dispersed renewable energy sources. While wind energy has global environmental benefits, it can also cause local annoyances regarding landscape impacts. The document proposes several ways for local wind farms to achieve a more balanced development, including: 1) Reducing local costs and increasing local benefits, 2) Making inhabitants shareholders to give them financial returns and a sense of ownership, and 3) Encouraging local entrepreneurship by supporting landowners, farmers and local authorities to develop wind projects with help from wind energy facilitators.

1. Does the local embeddedness of energy
production contribute to sustainable rural
developement?
Some evidences concerning the spreading of
wind energy parks in Belgium
Prof. Dr. Serge Schmitz, Vincent Vanderheyden
www.laplec.ulg.ac.be
University of Liège

2. Sources of information
● International State of Art (e.g. Energy Policy)
● Lacsawep Project (Belspo, 2006-2009)
● 5 case studies in Belgium
● Interviews (Promoter, Local en regional institutions,
association of opponents, inhabitants, etc.)
● Focus on discourses

3. A transition
● Renewable energy (20,20,20)
● Fuel chain
– Separed (distance between supply and demand)
– Concentred (limited spatial flexibility)
– Dispersed
● New deal concerning economical, ecological
and social cost and benefits
● Nimbyism

4. Global vs Local
● International, national and regional authorities
support wind energy (Feed-in-tariffs,
Renewable obligation)
● Global environmental advantages vs Local
annoyances (landscape signature)
● Financial avantage (For who?)
● Symbolic aspect (Green, responsible, future)
● Social impact (Mainly induced from former
dimensions)

5. How local wind farms could contribute to a
« beter balanced » development ?

6. I. Simple ways
a) Reduce the local cost
– design, technology
– taking into account the dwellers
b) Increase local benefits
– local/regional workers
c) Give financial compensation
– electricity price, equipement

7. II. Inhabitants as shareholders
Actor Cost Profit
Citizen Investment risk Dividend
Social participation
Sense of ownership
Developer Business risk
Social reponsability
Complementary
fund raising
Income of selling
electricity
Realisation of the
mission
Local society Environmental burden Construction demand
Fixed poperty tax
Human exchange
Sale of goods
Tourism (?)
Financiers Investment risk
Fund raising
Loan interest
Source: Maruyama et al., 2007

8. III. Local entrepreneurship
● Who?
– Land owners
– Farmers
– Local authorities
– Citizens association
● Main difficulties
– Need of technology,
– Discussion with authorities (subside, permit)
– Discussion with electricity suppliers
● Importance of wind facilitator

9. Thank you for your attention