Wind Power Politics and Policy
Scott Victor Valentine
Reviews and Awards
" [T]he book has a lot of value for understanding wind deployments across six of the most important countries in relation to forward looking policies and commitment to energy transformation with a commercialized renewable energy such as wind power. It is important for a range of readers - beginning students or well versed professionals - in order to understand the details of these case studies with very different systems and challenges." --Energy Research & Social Science
"If you must choose only one book to help understand the dynamics and potential of wind power in the contemporary energy mix, this is it. Valentine provides a succinct overview of the technologies and issues facing the sector and detailed cases studies of countries such as Germany, Denmark Canada, Japan, China and the United States which show the factors and variables which have resulted in some of these countries being world leaders in wind power and others laggards. This is a first class work, engaging and readable yet detailed and sophisticated in its approach and findings." --Professor Michael Howlett, Chair Professor, Department of Political Science, Simon Fraser University, Author of Designing Public Policy: Principles and Instruments
"Climate change can no longer be denied. Humanity has to act quickly and decisively to deal with it and mitigate its impact. We have to give up our addiction to fossil fuel and find alternative power sources. Surprisingly, little attention has been paid to wind power as a viable alternative. Scott Valentine's book therefore could not be more timely and more relevant for a planet in peril. He explains lucidly how wind power can give us new hope." --Professor Kishore Mahbubani, Dean, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, former President of the UN Security Council, Author of The Great Convergence: Asia, the West, and the Logic of One World
"As the climate change crisis makes clear, the transition to clean energy is the challenge of this century. An important component of a renewal energy mix will be wind power. But there is nothing certain about this development. This book helps us sort out the complex issues associated with this important source of renewable energy. I highly recommend it." --Professor Frank Fischer, Professor, Department of Political Science, Rutgers University, Author of Reframing Public Policy: Discursive Politics and Deliberative Practices
"The book describes a dilemma wrapped in a paradox. The paradox is that the world needs to decarbonize its electricity sector, yet clean and competitive wind power is struggling. That creates the dilemma: will the world embrace the opportunity to generate carbon-free electricity and address the changing climate or will it continue on its unsustainable path forward? Scott Valentine's book explains the electricity resource choices made by six influential nations. The history of wind power development in these nations is explained through a Political SET framework which provides comprehensive insight into forces that either enable or bar wind power development. This book provides a clear idea of what must be managed in order for wind power development to meet its potential in a timely manner." --Professor Marilyn Brown, School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology, Author of Climate Change and Global Energy Security: Technology and Policy Options, 2007 Nobel Laureate