Welcome to our research pages, highlighting the social context of energy transition in Canada. This site summarizes the work of our research team, centered at the University of Alberta and Dalhousie University but including research partners at other institutions. We provide information on new and old projects, research articles, reports, media interviews, infographics and other materials that we use to communicate research results and promote energy transition in Canada.

What’s New?

  • Global News –  Alberta’s rural communities could benefit from renewable energy transition
  • CBC News Article – Farmers skeptical of wind turbines, but more accepting of certain proposals, U of A study shows
  • Parkins, J.R., Anders, S., Meyerhoff, J., Holowach, M. 2022. Landowner acceptance of wind turbines on their land: Insights from a factorial survey experiment. Land Economics.
  • From Resistance to Acceptance of Wind Farms in Alberta | Edmonton Public Library – Energy Talks
  • Advancing local renewable energy in AB: a survey of municipal leaders & rural landowners | Webinar
  • Energy In A Flash short video by Andrea Miller on Building Futures: Indigenous Owned Renewable Energy and a Just Transition
  • Energy In A Flash short video by Sonak Patel on Empowering Our Communities: The Potential Of Municipal Energy Projects
  • New paper: Chappell, E.N., J.R. Parkins, K. Sherren. 2021. Those who support wind development in view of their home take responsibility for their energy use and that of others: evidence from a multi-scale analysis. Journal of Environmental Policy and Planning. Online First.
  • Short video by John Parkins on procedural and distributive justice for wind energy development in Alberta, part of a video exhibit on ‘Just Transformation’ based in Germany
  • Department Seminar on Landowner Acceptance of Wind Farm Development in Alberta
  • New infographics available for wind project proponents, regulators and rural landowners and communities, addressing barriers and opportunities to enhance wind power development in Alberta
  • New ‘Energy Transitions in Canada‘ YouTube Channel with links to recent conference presentations
  • New report: Assessing Barriers to Renewable Energy Development in Alberta: Evidence from a Survey on Wind Energy with Rural Landowners. Project Report 20-01, University of Alberta

Summary

Our work is happening at a national scale, as well as detailed cases in Peace River, AB, Mactaquac, NB, and Southern Ontario. This site provides overviews and outputs from that work in a variety of formats.

  • Video summary of national survey on energy literacy and energy preferences in Canada

Funding

Imagination, expectation and deliberation: Pathways to wind energy landscape transitions in Alberta. Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), Insight Grant, $199,730 (2017 – 2021). PI: Parkins (Alberta). Collaborators: Anders (Alberta), Sherren (Dalhousie), Davidson (Alberta)

Exploring and transforming a cultural imaginary of energy development in Canada. Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), Insight Grant, $380,190 (2012-2016), PI: Parkins (Alberta). Collaborators: Beckley (UNB), Sherren (Dalhousie), Hempel (Guelph), Stedman (Cornell)