Thread by @AdamBlazowski

THREAD:
“We cannot misuse climate change as a cover for colonialism.”
Here's fascinating story about what's behind @GretaThunberg recent protest against a wind farm in Norway.

Why is it important and what is the chain of events that led to this?

Let's connect the dots!
(1/11)

We start off in Fosen, Lapland, Norway. Sami people who live there used to be nomadic, in the past faced oppresion of their culture, live modern lives today, still tend to their reindeers.

A huge wind farm Roen was built there, but Sami were against it.

#Fosendommen (2/11)

They have won a court rulling in 2021 that two large wind farms being built on their land have been constructed with violation of the law. But the court did not decide about consequences, so the Roan farm operates anyway.
reuters.com/world/europe/t… (3/11)

We now need to move to Munich, Bavaria, Germany.
1,5m residents, HQ: BMW, Siemens, Allianz.

SWM is a community owned power company, with ambitious goal:100% renewable electricity by 2050 for the power hungry city that needs whooping 7 TWh/a. (4/11)

asia.nikkei.com/Business/Munic…

Landlocked Bavaria has best solar in Germany, but poor wind potential, further limited by strict 10H regulation.

With only 2.5 GW of wind in 2017, SWM wants to build wind in other countries.

On paper they will meet their goal, even if power could never reach Munich. (5/11)

One of the ideas is to build a huge wind farm in... Norway, low pop density, good wind conditions, all energy for export.

Grid limitations already make it hard to consume power from North Sea, but "on paper" its ok.

And yes, it is Roan wind farm. (6/11)

cleanenergywire.org/news/munichs-b…

So once Roan gets built, SMW buys 71% shares in this 0.9 TWh/a project.

"Norway has only 12 % wilderness left, and this area is shrinking," Per Hanasand, chair of the Norwegian hiking association "We want the German population to understand what's happening here.” (7/11)

All this is happened while the Sami were fighting in the courts, with rulling taken a few months later.

"Those wind farms are controversial because the power they produce is entirely for export. Norway already has a 98 percent clean electricity supply because of hydro". (8/11)

Now, this where this story becomes painful...

Munich IS powered by a zero emission power plant.

Isar is a nuclear power station, produces DOUBLE the energy Munich needs every year, on but a few ha.

It could work much longer but is going to be shut down Apri 15th 2023. (9/11)

Even Bavarian Greens are openly in support of prolonged operations for Isar.

But last year Green Party Congres forbid Habeck to order more nuclear fuel, even in the middle of the war induced energy crisis...so Isar will shut down April 15th. (10/11)

cleanenergywire.org/news/bavarian-…

So Isar already provides Munich with reliable clean electricity. But what does @GretaThunberg think about it? Intriguingly, she's in approval of it staying on for now and has already said so publicly." (11/11)
cleanenergywire.org/news/greta-thu…

Enjoyed this thread?

You can follow me @adamblazowski for more info on our energy transition in Central and Eastern Europe.

Also, I will be in Berlin on April 15th, to join local climate activists opposing closure of nuclear power plants in Germany.

#nuclearwins #SaveIsar2