The use of renewable energy sources in EU member states is expected to increase, leading to a more sustainable energy mix, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and a lower dependency from fossil fuels. Promoting the production of renewable energy is a topic that nowadays tops the agenda of many national and regional governments, due to three main reasons: environmental, energy security and regional development reasons, whereby the environmental reasons can be considered the driving force. The Thesis aims at distilling lessons learned from a comparative study of the policies practices in three large Member States and it analyses the relevance of the policy context for the development of the renewable energy (RE) sector. This study examines the national policies of EU member states towards the development of renewable energy, and the rationale for government intervention in this area. It analyses the different supporting instruments adopted by the three Member States and the impact that have on the development of the RE sector.

Despite the UK’s abundance of renewable energy sources and the imperative for renewable energy to make a significant contribution to addressing the problems of climate change and fossil-fuel dependency, renewable energy capacity in the UK has developed slowly compared with some other EU states. The UK has introduced a succession of policies to promote renewable energy, but so far these have failed to meet national and EU targets. This signals the need for detailed examination of the reasons for these ‘failures’ and, in particular, the extent, nature and constraints on ‘policy learning’ within UK renewable energy policy. Policy learning has emerged in recent years as an innovative way of exploring the roles of knowledge acquisition and use in policy change. This study examines the contribution of policy learning to the development of UK renewable energy policy. It is argued that interpreting UK renewable energy policy development through the lens of policy learning yields fresh perspectives on why policies develop in certain directions and not others. In so doing, it critically examines problems caused by failings in policy learning and identifies options for the further promotion of renewable energies in the UK. The study distinguishes four different forms of policy learning: technical, conceptual, social and political. Little research has been conducted on the characteristics of these different learning types, the conditions under which they occur, the psychological, institutional and cultural factors that stimulate or constrain learning, and how they interact to shape policy change. The study utilises a qualitative methodology to analyse and explain changes in UK renewable energy policy over the past 20 years. The main methods employed are content analysis of policy documents (including legislative acts and instruments, consultations and select committee reports); and semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders from government, industry, NGOs, academia and the media. It is argued in the thesis that UK energy policy has tended to become ‘locked’ into low-level forms of technical learning because current government learning mechanisms do not challenge the parameters of existing policy and, thus, fail to stimulate broader processes of conceptual and social learning that might encourage more radical policy change. These forms of policy learning are particularly constrained by hierarchical institutional structures that hinder communication and learning between policy areas. Furthermore, the current style of policy making for renewable energy in the UK privileges the interests of incumbent energy companies, giving them the ability to filter or block new ideas that do not align with their commercial interests. Political learning was shown to operate alongside other types of policy learning and to take multiple forms but focused predominantly on political risk management rather than political innovation: thus, it tended to narrow rather than extend the parameters of debate. These findings were used to develop a model of policy learning in UK renewable energy policy. This was used to conceptualise relationships between different learning types, highlight specific barriers to policy learning, and illustrate dynamics of policy learning and change that might be extended to other policy areas and countries. Finally, it is argued that many of the barriers identified might be overcome by fostering more evidence-based policy making and learning mechanisms that engage with a broader range of stakeholders to stimulate more pluralistic government processes.

In the last fifty years, Nunavut has developed a deep dependence on diesel for virtually all of its energy needs, including electricity. This dependence has created a number of economic, environmental and health related challenges in the territory, with an estimated 20% of the territory’s annual budget being spent on energy, thereby limiting the Government of Nunavut’s ability to address other essential infrastructure and societal needs, such as education, nutrition and health care and housing. One solution to address this diesel dependency is the use of renewable energy technologies (RETs), such as wind, solar and hydropower. As such, this thesis explores energy alternatives in Nunavut, and through RETScreen renewable energy simulations, found that solar power and wind power are technically viable options for Nunavut communities and a potentially successful means to offset diesel-generated electricity in Nunavut. However, through this analysis it was also discovered that accurate data or renewable resources are often unavailable for most Nunavut communities. Moreover, through qualitative open-ended interviews, the perspectives of Nunavut residents with regards to developing RETs in Nunavut were explored, and it was found that respondents generally supported the use of renewable energy in their communities, while acknowledging that there still remains a knowledge gap among residents regarding renewable energy, stemming from a lack of communication between the communities, government and the utility company. In addition, the perceived challenges, opportunities and gaps that exist with regards to renewable energy policy and program development were discussed with government policy-makers through further interviews, and it was discovered that often government departments work largely independently of each other rather than collaboratively, creating gaps and oversights in renewable energy policy in Nunavut. Combined, the results of this thesis were used to develop a number of recommended policy actions that could be undertaken by the territorial and federal government to support a shift towards renewable energy in order to develop a sustainable and self-sufficient energy plan in Nunavut. They include: gathering accurate renewable resource data in Nunavut; increasing community consultations on the subject of renewable energy; building strong partnerships with universities, colleges and industry; developing a knowledge sharing network; and finally increasing accessibility to renewable energy programs and policies in Nunavut. / Thesis (Master, Environmental Studies) -- Queen's University, 2011-09-29 23:47:11.775

Abstract / Resumé The Ontario provincial government faces the challenge of getting public support in the implementation of its RE policy. This thesis aims at investigating the effects of environmental values and political ideology on public support for renewable energy policy in Ottawa, Canada. Data was collected through open-ended interviews with fifty respondents in and around Ottawa, transcribed, coded and analysed using the NVivo software. Results indicate that environmental values and political ideology affect public support for renewable energy policy, but economic factors also play a role. The provincial government can think of ways to reduce the cost of electricity, invest on education and the creation of awareness on the benefits of renewable energy and the different initiatives that are offered by the RE policy to increase public support. Public ownership of RE projects and more democratic policy-making could also increase public support. Le gouvernement provincial de l'Ontario fait face au défi d'obtenir le soutien public dans la mise en œuvre de sa politique d'ER. Cette thèse vise à étudier les effets des valeurs environnementales et de l'idéologie politique sur le soutien public à la politique sur l'énergie renouvelable à Ottawa, au Canada. Les données ont été recueillies par les entrevues ouvertes avec une cinquantaine de répondants à Ottawa et dans les environs. Ils ont été transcrits, codées et analysées à l'aide du logiciel NVivo. Les résultats indiquent que les valeurs environnementales et l'idéologie politique affectent le soutien public à la politique d'énergie renouvelable, mais les facteurs économiques jouent également un rôle. Le gouvernement provincial peut réfléchir à des moyens de réduire le coût de l'électricité, investir dans l'éducation et sensibiliser les gens aux avantages de l'ER et aux différentes initiatives offertes par la politique sur l'ER pour accroître le soutien public. La propriété publique de projets d'ER et l'élaboration de politiques plus démocratiques pourrait également accroître le soutien public.

The success of wind power integration throughout Europe has been largely varied with some European countries showing large boosts in capacity compared to some which show none at all.  This Thesis looks at those countries that have been successful in order to determine which factors have led to this success and what if any lessons can be learned in order to assist other countries.  The countries studied make up the top three for total wind power capacity and top three for total capacity per capita.  The surrounding elements that affect wind power development are assessed and relevant trends are investigated and discussed.  Factors such as, support instruments and overall governance are discussed in detail with a number of trends being found.  Calculations were conducted developing an average mean annual percentage increase for total capacity which showed that countries with an undeveloped wind power industry switching to a form of quota system could show a boost to total capacity.  No evidence was found that suggested switching to or changing an existing feed in tariff system would result in a boost in installed capacity.  In assessing governance, a trend was discovered showing obligations and targets helped to drive boosts in capacity especially for the countries who implemented a quota system. Brining these two trends together it was determined that strong top level governance was required to actually kick start boosts in total capacity.  The use of combinations of support schemes is assessed and a trend determined that suggests that use a quota system as a primary support scheme is better suited to having tax incentives as a secondary with feed in tariff systems having financial support as a secondary system.  A plan for developing wind power in countries with undeveloped wind power industries is developed based on the trends identified within the Thesis.  This suggests that a switch to a quota system combined with strong EU and national Governance could help to boost capacity to a point at which time a switch to a form of FIT would be beneficial to build on this steady base.

The deployment of renewable energy (RE) technologies for electricity generation is a central element of the European energy and climate strategy and was laid down in binding targets on EU-level. The actual RE technology diffusion is, however, shaped by the framework conditions and support measures implemented in the individual EU Member States. This dissertation aims at contributing to a more integrated view of the influencing factors (determinants) for the deployment of RE technologies. To this end, a conceptual framework is drawn up to assess the boundary conditions for RE diffusion from the RE developer’s perspective. The framework is operationalised using a composite indicator (CI) approach and applied in a diffusion model to allow the anticipation of possible future technology deployment. The thesis concentrates on two mainstream RE technologies, namely onshore wind and non-residential PV, and focuses on European countries. Within the analysis, particular emphasis is placed on providing a holistic assessment of the impact of economic and non-economic determinants on the diffusion of RE technologies at national level. The assessment aims at understanding RE developers’ preferences and rationalities regarding the overall framework conditions for RE deployment in order to identify the drivers for and barriers to technological change and to facilitate efficient policy design and regulatory transformation. The most relevant diffusion determinants from the viewpoint of RE project developers are identified through literature research and moderated expert workshops. The relative relevance of the determinants in the diffusion process is then assessed based on an EU-wide questionnaire that resulted in the collection of >200 datasets. Building on this broad empirical basis, a composite indicator (CI) is developed for the diffusion of non-residential PV and wind onshore. The CI provides a transparent framework for the quantification of the diffusion determinants and allows an evaluation and benchmarking of national RE frameworks. In a further step, the CI is integrated in a diffusion model which enables projections of possible future market developments under different configurations of the national RE framework. This modelling approach applies and further develops established logistic models of technology diffusion. The overall approach is validated by applying it to three case study countries: Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom. Data collection in these case study countries involved, among others, semi-structured interviews with 31 RE experts. The different regulatory framework conditions in the three countries lead to 3 different CI results and projected technology diffusion. The results verify the robustness of the approach and the applicability of the concept to different national contexts. The findings of this thesis contribute to the methodological and empirical basis for understanding and modelling technology diffusion processes in general and RE technology diffusion in particular. The approach developed in this thesis further improves the scientific basis for the evaluation of RE support policies and can contribute to RE targets being achieved in an efficient and sustainable way.

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This project examines the development of renewable policy in California and Germany through the theoretical lens provided by John Dryzek's democratic theory of social movement engagement with the liberal democratic nation-state. Specifically, this thesis considers the impact of social movements on what the theory identifies as five core imperatives of state. The argument uses a qualitative, comparative, process tracing methodology, supported by critical discourse analysis, to analyze environmental social movement engagements with the state in relation to the development of renewable energy policymaking in the state of California and in the Federal Republic of Germany between 2000 and 2017. Whereas Dryzek and colleagues argue that environmental movement activism may have prompted a new, sixth, environmental conservation imperative of state, this thesis differs. Rather, the analysis finds that if indeed such a sixth imperative is emergent, it might better be defined as a resource conservation imperative. That is, in California and in Germany, it is not so much the environment but rather access to abundant and economically sustainable natural resources that states aim to conserve. / Master of Arts / This thesis explores the influence of the relationship between social movements and policymakers on renewable energy policy in California and Germany. Social movements are, for the most part, groups who wish to change government policy without necessarily winning elections or otherwise entering into public office. As such, this research examines how social movements, particularly environmental social movements, interact with government policymakers to affect renewable energy policy. This project’s analysis is based on evidence collected from newspapers and online news sources from California and Germany through 2000 to 2017. The findings suggest that environmental movements, as well as policymakers, use the language of what are called state imperatives in order to justify changes to renewable policy. These state imperatives are basically the main duties or goals that governments need to satisfy or accomplish. The findings also suggest that if a new duty or goal of the state is arising, it has to do with saving or conserving resources. This research is important as environmental issues such as global climate change continues to increasingly become a threat to society, and it also helps to further understand how renewable energy policy is developed.

This research examines whether study of the controversial evolution of energy systems and emerging energy technologies can contribute to the debates in energy policy and STS, especially those concerning the ongoing search for solutions to energy and environmental problems through the promotion of low-carbon technologies. The focus of this study is on the emergence and growth of a technological project in the renewable energy sector, Wave Hub in Cornwall, UK. The analysis, informed by actor-network theory, helps to explore the emergence of Wave Hub as a complex socio-technical system and a macro-actor. The case study reveals that the project is associated with various controversies and problematic temporalities. The construction of credibility and viability of the technological project is explored, including the 'public face’ of the project, various meanings attributed to Wave Hub and its symbolic capital. The discourse around Wave Hub is critically reviewed, as regards stakeholder assumptions about the technological feasibility of the project. Consideration is also given to the political dimensions of credibility, including the promissory role of policy discourse. An actor-network theory approach helps questioning the idea of policy as ‘macro context’; the utility of an analytical approach to policy as an actant is thus investigated. I ask to what extent, and in what sense, policy can be understood as an element of an actor-network, not merely a context. Furthermore, this helps to build a critical discussion around the evolution of the actor-network with policy as its active element and critically assess to what extent this approach might help to understand the destiny of a technological project. The politics of expertise in the case of Wave Hub is shown to play a critical role for the ‘credibility-economy’ of the project. Exploring how the expertise is understood and performed in the case of Wave Hub, I consider the question of the self-representation of experts and how the expert knowledge and the expert status are constituted. Studying the contestation of expertise and its categorisation helps to analyse various forms of collaboration formed around Wave Hub, but also antagonism which was revealed between different groups of experts.