What is it about?
In the last two decades two big renewable energy plants were built in Iceland. despite the fact that they were publically financed, the benefits from these plants were mainly meant for private profit. The Icelandic population bears the burden in the form of environmental destruction and toxic emissions.
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Why is it important?
Our article shows how a neoliberal development strategy, which narrowly focusses on heavy industry fails the local people. It also shows how commonly owned resources are mobilised to generate private profits at public costs. It underlines the importance of the question of "who benefits from renewable energy development and who doesn't".
Perspectives
Personally, I am a big fan of renewable energy production. But just like everything else the "how" of renewable energy production matters. At what costs is the enrgy produced? Who benefits and who bears the burden? What is the energy used for? The development in Iceland underlines the importance of these questions which are important in each and every context.
Mr Henner Busch
Lunds Universitet
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Modernist dreams and green sagas: The neoliberal politics of Iceland's renewable energy economy, Environment and Planning E Nature and Space, September 2018, SAGE Publications,
DOI: 10.1177/2514848618796829.
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