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Wind Power (wind + power)
Selected AbstractsWind power and ,the planning problem': the experience of WalesENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND GOVERNANCE, Issue 5 2007Richard Cowell Abstract Across Europe, spatial planning has acquired an important role in steering wind power to more socially acceptable locations. However, the tendency for planning decisions to become a focus of opposition has also led to planning being represented as ,a problem' in meeting renewable energy targets. Using Jessop's dialectical relationship between modes and objects of governance, this paper seeks to understand why certain states are inclined to resolve ,the planning problem' for wind through strengthened national control. The case study is the Welsh Assembly Government's 2005 planning guidance on renewable energy, which superimposes centrally-determined ,Strategic Search Areas' for large-scale, onshore wind farm development onto local decision-making processes. Motivations for adopting this approach reflect the UK's centralizing planning culture, and beliefs that local planning processes will not yield sufficient sites to meet targets for wind power expansion. Responses to this planning guidance suggest that it may stabilizing the regulatory conditions for large-scale wind investment in the short term, in some parts of Wales, but faces a number of points of vulnerability in the longer term. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] Wind power policy options in finland , analysis of energy policy actors' viewsENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND GOVERNANCE, Issue 4 2006Vilja Varho Abstract Governments around the world are responding to the environmental problems caused by energy production by promoting wind power and other renewable forms of energy. Country specific political and ideological issues affect the choice of policy instruments. For example, although Finland and Sweden are already part of the same Nordic electricity market, they use different renewable energy policy instruments. The views about suitable policy instruments also vary within the Finnish energy sector. This paper is based on analysis of interviews with 25 energy sector actors that affect wind power policy in Finland. They used a number of process-oriented and value-based criteria to evaluate policies. Emphasis on deregulated market conditions was found to be strong, and to limit methods that are considered appropriate for supporting wind power. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] Ecological modernization and wind power in the UKENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND GOVERNANCE, Issue 3 2006Dave Toke Abstract We analyse the UK wind power programme using a particular variant of ecological modernization (EM) theory developed by Christoff (1996). This distinguishes between a centralist ,weak' EM strategy and a more decentralized ,strong' approach. A radical critique of EM is also considered. The ,weak' EM typology is most relevant to the case of wind power in the UK. However, ,strong' EM may have some purchase on account of its normative dimensions. Deployment of ,strong' EM may, in this case, go some way to defusing some of the criticisms made by observers operating from a radical green perspective. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] The evolving UK wind energy industry: critical policy and management aspects of the emerging research agendaENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND GOVERNANCE, Issue 1 2006Peter A. Strachan Abstract In recent years, renewable energy , and in particular wind power , has come to the fore of both international and UK national environmental policy debates. In addition to helping to meet its Kyoto obligations, the British Government has indicated its desire for a much larger slice of the international wind energy market, and has consequently developed a national strategy to stimulate a more vibrant UK wind energy industry. With this in mind, the British Government's Climate Change Programme (DETR, 2000) and more recent Energy White Paper (DTI, 2003) outline the UK energy strategy for the coming two decades, with wind power featuring as a core component. This article critically considers the prospects for the development of a wind energy industry in the UK and introduces five strategic opportunities and five strategic barriers in this evolving segment of the energy market. The article concludes with recommendations to enhance public acceptance of wind energy and four important areas for future research are outlined. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] The German wind energy lobby: how to promote costly technological change successfullyENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND GOVERNANCE, Issue 3 2005Axel Michaelowa Abstract German wind power development is a technological success story but has involved very high subsidies. Germany was a latecomer in wind power but specific political conditions in the late 1980s and early 1990s allowed the implementation of the feed-in tariff regime, which has characterized Germany ever since. The wind lobby managed to constitute itself at an early stage and to develop stable alliances with farmers and regional policymakers. The concentration of the wind industry in structurally weak regions reinforced these links. With an increased visibility of the subsidies and saturation of onshore sites in the early 2000s, the lobby has been less successful in retaining support. The current attempt to develop offshore projects may suffer from less favourable interest constellations. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] Minimal effects of wind turbines on the distribution of wintering farmland birdsJOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 6 2008Claire L. Devereux Summary 1Energy production from wind power is increasing rapidly in Europe to help combat the threats from global warming. For example, the European Commission have set a target for 20% of EU energy to come from renewable sources by 2020. In recent decades, biodiversity on European farmland has fallen dramatically due to agricultural intensification. Agri-environment schemes (AES) have been implemented across the EU, in part at least, to combat these declines. Significant numbers of turbines are, and will be, built on farmland. There is, therefore, a potential conflict between wind turbines and AES on farmland. 2Various mechanisms potentially cause wind turbines to alter bird distribution including noise and physical structure. 3We show that turbine location (controlling for other effects such as boundary location and crop type) did not affect the distribution of four functional groups of wintering farmland birds (seed-eaters, corvids, gamebirds and Eurasian skylarks) at differing distances from wind turbines ranging from 0,150 m to 600,750 m. The only species for which distribution was related to the presence of wind turbines was the largest and least manoeuvrable (common pheasant Phasianus colchicus L.). 4In a further analysis of data collected at 0,75 m and 75,150 m from turbines, we found no evidence to suggest that farmland birds in our study avoided areas close to wind turbines. 5Synthesis and applications. This is the first evidence suggesting that the present and future location of large numbers of wind turbines on European farmland is unlikely to have detrimental effects on farmland birds (at least for those species included in our study). This should be welcome news for nature conservationists, wind energy companies and policy-makers. However, our work is only a first step, as there may be potential influences of wind turbines on bird distribution during the breeding season. [source] Consumers and green electricity: profiling potential purchasersBUSINESS STRATEGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, Issue 1 2003Ian H. Rowlands Globally, consumers are beginning to be able to choose their electricity supplier. Increasing concerns about the environment are prompting some of them to consider ,green' electricity,that is, electricity that has been generated by more environmentally sustainable means (for example, solar power or wind power). This article profiles the potential purchaser of green electricity. Drawing upon the literature on green product purchasers more generally, three sets of hypotheses are presented,more specifically, it is proposed that those who would pay increasingly higher premiums for green electricity are more likely to possess particular demographic characteristics, attitudinal characteristics and socialization characteristics. Responses from a survey distributed in a major Canadian metropolitan area are then examined. Attitudinal characteristics,specifically ecological concern, liberalism and altruism,best identify the potential purchasers of green electricity. Suggestions for managers and marketers are made following these findings. Directions for future research are also presented. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and ERP Environment. [source] | ||||||||||