Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
we are ignorant.” Due to the structured yet malleable approach advocated
here, the insights provided in this topic will help policymakers to fashion
better wind power development policy and manage the process in a way that
ensures that results approximate aspirations. However, there are avenues of
future research that would signiicantly enhance the applied efectiveness
of the Political SET model. Prior to concluding the study, seven questions
for guiding future research will be briely introduced with the hope that this
encourages other researchers to expand on this work.
First, are some variables more prominent than others? In this chapter it
was suggested that economic forces still rule the roost in terms of inluenc-
ing wind power difusion. It was subsequently noted that public opposition
to high concentrations of wind power development could wind up replacing
economic concerns as the prime factor in limiting wind power difusion in
mature wind power markets. his suggests that inluential STEP variables
within the Political SET framework are not equal. herefore, when seeking
to describe the Political SET conditions inluencing a given nation, it would
be beneicial to try and prioritize the STEP variables to ensure that more
inluential variables are given particular attention.
Second, are some variables consistently more inluential? It may very well
be that some variables are universally inluential for wind power difusion.
For example, we know that the economic diferential between wind power
costs and the cost of conventional energy generation was a key factor in
inluencing wind difusion in all six nations and we can speculate that this
is likely true for all nations. Similarly, community perspectives in regard to
wind power were seen as critical factors underpinning wind power develop-
ment in ive of the six nations (China being the exception). his therefore
raises the prospect that some variables may be more universally relevant
than others. Attempts to highlight which variables are more transferable to
other national contexts would help improve external validity.
hird, is it possible to assign weights of importance to variables? At its
extreme, the quest to prioritize variables based on comparative inluence
justiies attempts to quantify comparative inluence. Due to the complex
adaptive nature of energy sectors, this topic contends that such a process
is not achievable. However, this does not mean that attempts to try and
quantify relative inluence would not contribute to improved understand-
ing of the interplay between variables. Attempts to quantify comparative
inluence force researchers to explain anomalies, fostering greater depth of
understanding.
Fourth, are combinations of variables highly correlated? For example, to
what degree is aluence correlated to community willingness to host wind
power development? To what degree does the existence of domestic natural
