EIA and bird protection in Norwegian wind energy development

This is the prelude of the present book focused on the Environmental Impact Assessments in the Norwegian wind energy sector. Norway which has established a target to increase its renewable energy production and energy efficiency to 30 TWh per year in 2016 (compared to 2001) has made a significant turn to wind power development as an efficient alternative energy resource. Nevertheless green political goals in the past and nature conservation issues like excessive fatal bird collisions with wind turbines create cautiousness concerning this wind power venture. Thus the purpose of this academic research is to discover how Norwegian government is managing to wear thin the negative impacts of wind farms on bird populations; based on a case study on Smøla wind farm having the largest installed wind power capacity in Norway. These environmental challenges are emphasized and discussed especially in the context of the Environmental Impact Assessments being carried out.