Who Gets a Say? Gunnlaug Ásgeirsdóttir on Energy and Democracy

Iceland has an abundance of renewable energy resources, but deciding how to use them isn't always straightforward. New energy projects can bring economic opportunities, but they can also raise concerns about the environment, local communities, and who benefits from development.

For Gunnlaug Ásgeirsdóttir, an MSc Sustainable Energy Science graduate of the Iceland School of Energy (ISE), these questions became the focus of her master's research at Reykjavík University.

Her work explored a fundamental question: when decisions are made about Iceland's energy future, whose voices are heard?

From Fisheries to Energy

Gunnlaug grew up in Ólafsfjörður, a small fishing town in northern Iceland, where natural resources are closely connected to the local community and economy. She went on to study Fisheries Science at the University of Akureyri, developing an understanding of how natural resources are managed and the importance of using them responsibly. But her interests eventually extended beyond the sea.

“I wanted to broaden my knowledge and focus on sustaining resources on land,” Gunnlaug explained.

That interest brought her to the MSc Sustainable Energy Science programme at ISE, where she could explore energy, sustainability, resource management, and public policy.

Who Decides Iceland's Energy Future?

Renewable energy development is often discussed in terms of technology, electricity production, and reducing emissions. But building new energy infrastructure also involves decisions about land use, environmental impacts, and the interests of different communities.

For her master's thesis, Gunnlaug investigated the relationship between democracy and the renewable energy transition in Iceland.

Through interviews with people working in energy, policy, and governance, she explored how public concerns are considered in energy decisions and what influences people's acceptance of renewable energy projects.

Her research examined the concept of energy justice, which asks whether the benefits, costs, and decision-making processes of energy development are fair.

It's a question that goes beyond whether a project can produce renewable electricity. It also considers who participates in the process, whose concerns are addressed, and how the benefits are shared.

Looking Beyond Iceland

During her studies, Gunnlaug also spent a semester abroad at the University of Bern in Switzerland, where she studied political science and government.

The experience allowed her to explore how institutions, public participation, and political systems influence decisions about energy and natural resources.

It also added an international perspective to questions she had been studying in Iceland.

By combining her background in fisheries science with energy studies and political science, Gunnlaug developed an approach to sustainability that considers both natural resources and the people who depend on them.

More Than Renewable Electricity

Gunnlaug's journey from fisheries science to energy policy reflects an important part of the energy transition: developing renewable resources is not only a technical challenge.

It also requires understanding communities, balancing competing interests, and creating opportunities for people to participate in decisions that affect them.

For Gunnlaug, studying sustainable energy meant looking beyond how electricity is produced to ask a wider question about the future of Iceland's resources.