The construction of wind power is strongly associated with negative local externalities in terms of noise, shadows, visual impact and effects on local environment. To compensate for these negative effects, wind developers seek to find methods to create more local value. The purpose of this study has thus been to identify and evaluate potential methods to increase the local value creation from onshore wind power projects, mainly in the Swedish context. Firstly, from the literature review and interviews, four different approaches to create local value has been identified. The four identified methods to create local value are (1) community funds, (2) local ownership, (3) modernization and (4) local content. Of these identified methods, local content is deemed to have most potential in creating local value. The use of local content has generally been strong in the UK, why this study comprises a field study that reveal that British wind developers manage to appoint up to 20-30 % of the total capital expenditure to local companies. Compared to Sweden, the same number is as little asone percent. The explanation to this significant difference could be explained by “three I:s”,, namely, (1) Identification of local companies, (2) Information of opportunities and requirements and (3) Incentive creation for the main contractors. For Swedish developers to overcome the problems associated with the three I:s, the study presents seven activities that are possible to implement directly into the development process of wind power. Together these activities create a comprehensive way of enhancing the possibility for local companies to be involved in the construction phase, and by doing so, increasing the local value creation.

Forests provide ecosystem services, whereby near-natural forests offer mainly cultural as well as regulating services, and economical forests offer mainly provisional services. Even though wind resources above forests show a strong wind shear and veer as well as high turbulence intensity, the development of tall and low-wind-speed-adapted turbines led to the feasibility of wind power development in economical forests, adding a new land use. Nonetheless, wind power in economical forests is still a new concept for Germany. So far, only eight of the 16 federal states enable this by forest law and spatial planning programs driven by land-use pressure and the goal of climate neutrality. Lower Saxony is currently amending its spatial planning program to open economical forests for wind power. The thesis aims to improve the understanding of the actors’ perspectives and federal-state-specific circumstances in Lower Saxony regarding this policy shift supported by a constellation analysis. A constellation analysis helps to perceive multiple perspectives by creating a diagram and textually describing the situation to identify, present, and elaborate relevant constellation elements and their relation to each other. The constellation analysis highlights that the development should add a local value to impacted municipalities and communities by following the principles of distributive and procedural justice. This facilitates local acceptance. However, environmental and landscape impacts are the main driver for local opposition in a forest context. Thus, the development shall strive for nature compatibility.

Purpose: The purpose of this research paper is to examine the potential of the Swedish textile industry to achieve more sustainability in the home textile segment, through establishing a local value chain for local consumption. The aim is to explore the potential of both the supply and demand side of the local market. For the supply, or the industry perspective, the goal is to show companies the relevant aspects to consider when choosing to establish a local value chain in Sweden, with a focus on the home textile segment. For the demand, or the consumer perspective, the objective is to find out how they perceive locally produced sustainable products and whether there is interest for purchasing such products. Methodology: Existing literature and relevant results from researches have been collected and used as secondary sources, for forming and backing up the industry perspective of the thesis work. Face to face interviews have been conducted and analyzed, for getting primary information for the consumer perspective for the paper. This work is an explorative study, combining information for both the supply and demand sides of the home textiles segment in Sweden. Findings: After combining the findings from the literature review and the results from the analysis from the interviews, it can be concluded that there is a potential to establish a local value chain in Sweden. The situation is not ideal though, also potential risks and drawbacks related to the locality of the value chain of the home textiles segment that are presented have to be considered. The paper explores both the advantages and the disadvantages for producing locally in Sweden, to estimate the existing potential.