Wind Power: The Struggle for Control of a New Global Industry - Hardcover

"Blackwell guides the discussion with a sure hand and there are endless new snippets of information to discover." – Real Power Magazine

"Backwell, editor in chief of Recharge, a renewable energy news service, looks at governments, companies, and people competing for the control and harnessing of wind power. The author explains the dynamic nature of the industry, which is reaching maturity and going global. Not only does the book explore the main challenges behind wind power, it also shows a clear link between climate policy and the development of the wind industry. The author makes a strong case that the disconnect between the climate and energy policy debate is the main reason for the unpredictable and inconsistent nature of support for the industry in the US, the EU, China, and Brazil. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers." – CHOICE, R. M. Ramazani, Saint Michael's College

Wind Power – The Struggle  for Control of a New Global Industry  looks at the nations, companies and people fighting for control of one of the world’s fastest growing new industries and how we can harness one of the planet’s most powerful energy resources – wind power. The book also examines the challenges the sector faces as it competes for influence and investment with the fossil fuel industry across the globe.

The wind power business has grown from a niche sector within the energy industry to a global industry attracting substantial investment in recent years. In Europe wind has become the biggest source of new power generation capacity, while wind is successfully competing with the gas, coal and nuclear sectors in China and the US.

The specialist wind turbine companies that pioneered the business have gone global over the last decade, while big industrial conglomerates have entered the fray. European companies are struggling to maintain their technological and market lead in the sector, in a three cornered battle with China and the US.

Meanwhile, the industry is fighting to drive down costs in the face of a fossil fuel generation industry bolstered by the onset of cheap shale gas. And wind companies continue to wrestle with a stop-go cycle of investment across the world, with some traditional markets stuttering under the impact of the financial crisis and fiscal austerity, while new power hungry markets in Asia and South America emerge.

Wind Power – The Struggle for Control of a New Global Industry analyses the industry climbers, the investment trends and the technological advancements that will define the future of wind energy.