The Influence of Policy Risk on Swiss Wind Power Investment

Wind energy is one of the most affordable and fastest-growing sources of electricity worldwide. As a large share of wind power generation occurs in the winter season, it could make an important contribution to seasonal diversification of domestic electricity supply. However, the development of wind energy projects in Switzerland has been characterized by long and complex administrative processes, with the planning phase taking up to a decade, more than twice as long as the European average. The objective of this chapter is to quantify the risk premium that lengthy permitting processes imply for wind energy investors in Switzerland and to suggest ways to reduce policy risk. The data have been gathered through 22 confidential interviews with project developers and several cantonal permitting agencies as well as a review of federal and cantonal regulatory documents. Furthermore, a discounted cash flow model was built to compare the profitability indicators (IRR, NPV) and the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of a reference case to scenarios with various risks—for example, delays in the permitting process, downsizing the project, or changes in the regulatory environment such as phasing out feed-in tariffs. The model shows that the highest profitability risks are related to the availability of a feed-in tariff, but other changes in the permitting process can also have a critical impact on the project’s bottom line. The findings illustrate a significant policy risk premium in the pre-construction stage faced by wind energy project developers in Switzerland.

Mining and indigenous rights in Sweden: what is at stake and the role for legislation

Mining and the permitting process for mineral projects in Sweden has been criticised as inadequately safeguarding the rights of Indigenous reindeer herding Sámi, who hold usufruct rights to more than half the country’s territory. There have been calls for Sweden to ratify the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention (ILO 169) and to change its Mineral Law. This paper evaluates the extent of protection of Sámi rights — and not only those engaged in reindeer herding — in Sweden’s minerals permitting process. It also considers the implications if changes were made to align this process with the Indigenous-rights framework. The paper demonstrates that reindeer herding Sámi are, broadly, treated similar to landowners in the mineral projects permitting process. However, there is discrimination when it comes to being able to have a share in the benefits of a project: impacted reindeer herders have no such option whereas landowners do. Also, the permitting processes do not consider social and cultural impacts, nor are there obligations for the state to be sufficiently involved in consultation processes. Addressing the identified shortcomings would require only small changes to the Mineral Law and/or to its application and would be possible with only limited impacts on mining because the sector is not a significant user of land whilst it creates large economic values. However, extending those changes (to give parity between landowners and Sámi rights holders) in other important economic sectors which use more extensive land areas, would entail a considerable transfer of resources and associated power. Furthermore, changing the Mineral Law specifically would mean little in terms of safeguarding the rights of the majority of Sami who do not engage in reindeer herding. This suggests that calls for changes to mineral-related legislation to resolve indigenous land right issues are mis-directed or at least insufficient, and that other type of legislative change is required, fundamentally including resolving how extensive and strong the Sámi’s rights to land should be.

The Permitting, Licensing and Environmental Compliance Process: Lessons and Experiences within U.S. Marine Renewable Energy

The marine renewable energy (MRE; renewable energy captured from waves, tides, ocean currents, the natural flow of water in rivers, and marine thermal gradients, without building new dams or diversions) industry has a vital role in the U.S. clean energy strategy as we progress to meet U.S. electricity and blue economy needs with renewable, domestic energy sources. However, a thorough assessment of the U.S. marine energy permitting process from the viewpoints of both developers that propose projects and regulators that permit them has not been performed. Sharing practical experiences in this new industry is vital to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the permitting process, identify data and information gaps, develop lessons learned, and advance the industry. This paper is a case study of qualitative findings, lessons learned, and recommendations from guided discussions, workshops, and webinars with both marine renewable energy developers and state and federal regulators that have experience in the permitting process in the U.S.

Kula Belgrade: Part 1: Specific topics of structural design

Kula Belgrade is the tallest building within Belgrade Waterfront project, located at the right bank of the Sava river. It is envisaged as the future landmark of Belgrade and pivotal point of Belgrade Waterfront development. It consists of 168m high - 42 storey tower, podium and eccentric basement. It is one of the rare towers in the world in which the bottom and the top parts are mutually rotated by 90° in plan and where such transition is achieved through 7 floors. Such configuration imposed significant demands to structure. The paper addresses design of structure, which has been divided in two stages - piles and structure above the piles. Former was provided by SOM company from Chicago, USA; latter by AECOM company from UAE, both as per American International Building Code. DNEC company from Belgrade was a member of Joint Venture of local companies in charge for nostrification of design and permitting process. Check of design was conducted per Eurocodes. During the construction stage, DNEC was in role of Engineer but was also actively involved in structural value engineering process in which the composite structural members (reinforced concrete with embedded steel) of transition zone were converted to reinforced concrete or post-tensioned members. Link beams of main core that comprised embedded steel plates were redesigned as RC beams, but due to the openings in web their adequacy was checked by non-linear analysis in Abaqus software.

BIM ADOPTION IN THE AEC/FM INDUSTRY – THE CASE FOR ISSUING BUILDING PERMITS

BIM adoption is a complex process and relatively little information exists on the BIM adoption processes of public authorities. This research aims to address this gap by examining how a contemporary public authority is approaching BIM adoption for their building permitting process. Firstly, a systematic literature review was carried out to understand extant descriptions of BIM adoption processes and the factors affecting adoption success. This resulted in the derivation of a generic BIM adoption process and the classification of factors that affect BIM adoption with reference to the Technology Organization and Environment (TOE) framework. The case of the BIM adoption process and the factors affecting its implementation in a contemporary public authority were then analysed in terms of the generic adoption process and factor classification derived from the literature. The findings reveal the planning strategies and execution steps for BIM adoption and the factors affecting them. This study provides a systematic approach to investigating BIM adoption in a public authority. It contributes to the understanding of BIM adoption processes and factors affecting them and is anticipated to be useful for AEC/FM professionals in understanding and facilitating successful BIM adoption.