Renewable energy politics in fossil fuel-producing jurisdictions: a comparative study of Norway and Alberta
department or school: Science, Faculty of
department or school: Resources, Environment and Sustainability (IRES), Institute for
data provider: DSpace
degree campus: UBCV
creator: Soldal, Sveinar Lunde
issued: 2025-10-28T22:12:39Z
issued: 2025
related degree: Master of Arts - MA
degree grantor: University of British Columbia
description: Norway and Alberta, a Canadian province, are united by significant economic reliance on their respective fossil fuel industries, and a commitment to sustaining fossil fuel production in a world facing increasingly stronger decarbonization pressures. Yet, their policies for renewable electricity development diverge sharply: Norway has subsidized an offshore wind industry characterized by high costs and poor profitability outlooks, while Alberta has introduced restrictive regulations on a rapidly growing wind and solar sector that has generated jobs, investments and economic growth. This thesis examines how electoral and fossil fuel industry interests, policymakersâ ideas, and the influence of higher-level political institutions have helped drive these diverging policy trajectories. The findings suggest that the difference reflects a fundamental difference in decarbonization pressures, creating contexts that are more and less conducive to renewable electricity development. Norwayâs stronger pressures, shaped by electoral interests and integration with EU climate policy have spurred large-scale electrification, requiring increased electricity production to meet rising demand. In this context, strong public opposition to onshore wind and the potential for offshore wind to provide transition pathways for Norwayâs oil and gas supply and shipbuilding industry situate the technology as the most feasible way to advance Norwayâs interests and policy goals. In contrast, Alberta faces weaker decarbonization pressures, evidenced by widespread scepticism towards anthropogenic climate change and the decentralized nature of Canadian federalism which insulates Alberta from federal and international emission targets. In turn, the election of a right-wing government with limited transition aspirations and a strong commitment to maintaining natural gas as the primary source of electricity generation has reinforced local electoral pressures, culminating in restrictive regulations on ren…
aggregated CHO: https://circle.library.ubc.ca/rest/handle/2429/92840
note: RENEWABLE ENERGY POLITICS IN FOSSIL FUEL-PRODUCING JURISDICTIONS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF NORWAY AND ALBERTA by Sveinar Lunde Soldal B.A., The University of Edinburgh, 2023 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE AND POSTDOCTORAL STUDIES (Resources, Environment and Sustainability) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Vancouver) October 2025 © Sveinar Lunde Soldal, 2025 ii The following individuals certify that they have read, and recommend to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies for acceptance, the thesis entitled: Renewable Energy Politics in Fossil Fuel-Producing Jurisdictions: A Comparative Study of Norway and Alberta submitted by Sveinar Lunde Soldal in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Resources, Environment and Sustainability Examining Committee: Kathryn Harrison, Professor, Department of Political Science, UBC Supervisor Philippe Le Billon, Professor, School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, UBC Supervisory Committee Member Milind Kandlikar, Professor, School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, UBC Additional Examiner iii Abstract Norway and Alberta, a Canadian province, are united by significant economic reliance on their respective fossil fuel industries, and a commitment to sustaining fossil fuel production in a world facing increasingly stronger decarbonization pressures. Yet, their policies for renewable electricity development diverge sharply: Norway has subsidized an offshore wind industry characterized by high costs and poor profitability outlooks, while Alberta has introduced restrictive regulations on a rapidly growing wind and solar sector that has generated jobs, investments and economic growth. This thesis examines how electoral and fossil fuel industry interests, policymakersâ ideas, and the influence of higher-level political institutions have helped drive these diverging policy trajectories. The findings sug…
has type: Thesis/Dissertation
date issued: 2026-05
is shown at: 10.14288/1.0450665
language: eng
degree discipline: Resources, Environment and Sustainability
provider: Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
publisher: University of British Columbia
rights: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
rights URI: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
scholar level: Graduate
contributor: Harrison, Kathryn, 1958-
type: Text
identifier URI: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/92840