Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
advance understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of wind power.
he reader will learn that by and large, wind power technology is riddled
with misconceptions that engender a number of false barriers to develop-
ment. Chapter 3 provides an introduction to the complexities inluencing
the evolution of energy and the formulation of energy policy. It also pro-
vides an introduction to the
Political SET
framework that is used for ana-
lyzing the six case studies that comprise the core of this topic. he main
thesis of this chapter also establishes the rationale for writing this topic.
Succinctly put, energy policy is inluenced a seamless web of political,
social, economic, and technological forces that complicate analysis. If we
are to succeed in our quest to understand how to more efectively inlu-
ence wind power development policy, we must document the diverse yet
inluential variables that impact energy policy, highlight and understand
the nature of interdependencies between these variables, and attempt to
apply this newfound knowledge to guide the development of more efec-
tive policy.
he next section presents the case studies which are analyzed using the
Political SET
framework. Six nations have been selected as target nations for
studying and documenting the forces which inluence wind power develop-
ment. In selecting the nations to study, a conscious decision was made to
choose two nations (Denmark, Chapter 4 and Germany, Chapter 5) that
have enjoyed historic success in encouraging wind power development; two
critical nations (China, Chapter 6 and the United States, Chapter 7) that
can be considered breakout nations in terms of wind power difusion; and
two nations (Canada, Chapter 8 and Japan, Chapter 9) that can be consid-
ered as laggard nations in respect to wind power difusion. By investigat-
ing wind power difusion in nations that have exhibited varying degrees
of wind power success, we will gain a clearer picture of what conditions
support wind power, what conditions tend to inhibit wind power, and what
conditions, if altered, can initiate improved wind power difusion. It is also
felt that by choosing two nations from North America, two from Europe,
and two from Asia that the study will be able to partially address the exter-
nal validity of the indings by highlighting any sociocultural anomalies that
might confound generalizations.
he inal section consists of two chapters that draw together the insights
from the case studies to document the forces that impact wind power difu-
sion, highlight interdependencies between these forces, and interpret these
indings from a policy perspective. hese concluding chapters aim to equip
policymakers with a clear understanding of which variables must be proac-
tively managed in order to ensure wind power development policy encour-
ages prolonged and suicient difusion of the technology.
