Wind Power in Alberta
Wind power development in Alberta started in the early 1990s and has evolved slowly in recent decades. With potential for substantial wind energy production in Alberta and extensive wind farms throughout the central and eastern parts of the province, our research focuses on understanding opposition to wind power, especially amongst rural landowners. We are also interested in how wind farms can be designed and implemented to reduce local conflicts.
In these publications, we provide background and analysis to address these challenges:
- Holowach, M. and J.R. Parkins. 2023. Unraveling the link between political polarization and wind energy perspectives: Insights from a survey of agricultural landowners in Alberta, Canada. Energy & Environment.
- Chewinski, M, S. Anders and J.R. Parkins. 2023. Agricultural Landowner Perspectives on Wind Energy Development in Alberta, Canada: Insights from the Lens of Energy Justice and Democracy. Environmental Sociology.
- Iron & Earth Podcast – Engaging rural communities in renewable energy
- Announcement – New project on pathways to energy democracy in Canada
- 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.
- Afanasyeva, Aleksandra, Debra J. Davidson, John R. Parkins. 2022. Wind energy development and anti-environmentalism in Alberta, Canada (Ch. 17, 329-344), In D. Tindall, M. Stoddart, and R. Dunlap (eds.), Handbook of Anti-Environmentalism (Edward Elgar).
- Department Seminar on Landowner Acceptance of Wind Farm Development in Alberta.
- Patel, S., M. Holowach, S. Anders, J.R. Parkins. 2020. Assessing Barriers to Renewable Energy Development in Alberta: Evidence from a Survey on Wind Energy with Rural Landowners. Project Report #20-01, Department of Resource Economics and Environmental Sociology, University of Alberta.
- Infographics for wind project proponents, regulators and rural landowners and communities, addressing barriers and opportunities to enhance wind power development in Alberta
- YouTube video on Three Environmental Imaginaries & Implications for Acceptable Energy Technologies in Alberta
- Project report on Community energy in Western Canada: Insights from case studies on small-scale renewable energy development
- Book chapter, Seeking common ground in contested energy technology landscapes: Insights from a Q Methodology study