Political Ecology of renewable energy transitions on the Åland Islands

Sammanfattning: Amidst a climate and biodiversity crisis, transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources has become imperative. On the Åland Islands, planned large-scale offshore wind farms offer potential economic growth but entail environmental and social impacts. This study investigates the discourses of renewable energy transitions on Åland using a political ecology framework for energy transitions, an energy justice framework, and narrative analysis. We collected data through interviews with local stakeholders and a literature review of academic papers and the local newspapers.Findings reveal that the energy transition is largely driven by economic growth and profit motives rather than motivation to address the climate crisis. We observed concerns about unequal gender participation in decision-making processes and unawareness or denial of existence of the problem from politicians. The construction of wind farms entails an enclosure of the seabed and land for port development, with potentially adverse environmental impacts. This paper contributes to sustainability science by providing insights into the complexities and challenges of energy transitions on islands.