Wind Energy Development in Ontario: Factors Influencing Deployment and Policy Outcomes
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Western University Scholarship@Western Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository 10-19-2015 12:00 AM Wind Energy Development in Ontario: Factors Influencing Deployment and Policy Outcomes Emmanuel T. Songsore The University of Western Ontario Supervisor Dr. Michael Buzzelli The University of Western Ontario Graduate Program in Geography A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the equirr ements for the degree in Doctor of Philosophy © Emmanuel T. Songsore 2015 Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd Part of the Human Geography Commons Recommended Citation Songsore, Emmanuel T., "Wind Energy Development in Ontario: Factors Influencing Deployment and Policy Outcomes" (2015). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 3340. https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/3340 This Dissertation/Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by Scholarship@Western. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository by an authorized administrator of Scholarship@Western. For more information, please contact [email protected]. WIND ENERGY DEVELOPMENT IN ONTARIO: FACTORS INFLUENCING DEPLOYMENT AND POLICY OUTCOMES (Thesis format: Integrated Article) by EMMANUEL SONGSORE Graduate Program in Geography with Environment and Sustainability A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy The School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies The University of Western Ontario London, Ontario, Canada © Emmanuel Songsore 2015 Abstract The goal of this thesis is to gain an understanding of the factors promoting and hindering wind energy development (henceforth WED) from the perspective of communities and developers in Ontario. Ontario arguably has one of the most ambitious policies for WED in the world, centered on the Green Energy and Green Economy act, 2009 (henceforth GEA). Despite progressing to become Canada’s leading province in installed wind energy capacity, various conflicts and roadblocks to deployment remain evident. In response to gaps identified in literature seeking to understand the factors that impact the (un)successful deployment of wind power, the current thesis provides multiple methodological roadmaps for gaining a more holistic understanding of WED through media analysis. Specific to the Ontario context, the thesis aims to understand the factors that promote or hinder community support for WED. As well, the goal is to understand the factors promoting or hindering the activities of wind energy developers within the province. The aforementioned objectives are addressed through media content analysis and semi-structured interviews respectively. While results from the media analysis suggests that social acceptance is most strongly impacted by health and economic factors, developer interviews suggest that the elimination of local planning for WED has created major disconnects between developers and host communities. This disconnect has consequently compromised the deployment of the technology. ii The study makes methodological, theoretical and policy contributions to existing literature on WED. Methodologically, the study demonstrates the efficacy of media content analysis for understanding the temporal evolution of social responses to WED and developing interview instruments. The study also provides an original methodological protocol for the utilization of media analysis to understand WED. Theoretically, the study demonstrates the utility of holistic approaches for teasing out the most salient determinants of WED and policy outcomes. Finally, the study highlights the importance of community engagement in the WED process. As well, it demonstrates the need for detailed policies to guide developers and communities in their engagement with each other. Key words: wind energy, Ontario, media, interviews, content analysis, newspapers iii CO-AUTHORSHIP STATEMENT This dissertation is made up of a collection of papers which are being prepared for publication. The study context, problem, objectives and the relationship among the various manuscripts are outlined in the introductory chapter. The final chapter provides a summary and conclusions. The research manuscripts are as follows: 1. A Methodological Roadmap for Content Analysis of Wind Energy Development and Policy 2. Wind Energy Development in Ontario: Key Discourses Impacting Social Acceptance 3. Wind Energy Development in Ontario: Understanding Developer Perspectives and Experiences While all the papers being prepared for publication will be co-authored with my thesis supervisor(s) and other advisory committee members, as the first author, I conducted all of the research including problem identification, literature review, data collection, data analysis, and writing. The bibliographies of the individual chapters are consistent with the University of Western Ontario Graduate and Postdoctoral Thesis requirements. iv Acknowledgments Thanks to the Lord Jesus Christ for granting me the strength, wisdom and sustenance throughout my journey as a PhD student (James 1:17). I would like to extend my profound gratitude to my supervisor Dr. Michael Buzzelli who continually encouraged me and consistently showed genuine concern not only for my academic work, but also my wellbeing and survival. I couldn’t possibly have asked for a better supervisor and friend. I would also like to thank Dr. Jamie Baxter, Dr. Romayne Smith-Fullerton and Dr. Isaac Luginaah, Dr. Stephen Hill and Dr. Jimmy Dikeakos who each contributed in diverse ways, either to the examination of the thesis or through the provision of intellectual insights and suggestions. Special thanks to all the department staff, especially Lori Johnson and Joe Smrekar. I really appreciate your patience and support. I recognize all the social and intellectual support provided by fellow graduate students, especially Chris Hewitt who created my study map and participated in my intercoder reliability test. Thanks so much for your time. I also thank my colleagues Vincent Kuuire, Luis Silva, David Morimoto and John Osborne for their amazing friendship. Finally, I would like to say a big thank you to the Editor in Chief of the London Free Press (Joe Ruscitti) and Jennifer O’Brien who were very instrumental in helping me retrieve newspaper articles. To all developers who managed to make time in their busy v schedules to participate in my interviews, I say a big thank you. I appreciate your willingness to participate in my study despite the contentious nature of wind energy in Ontario. Last but not least, thank you to my family and ‘Canadian parents’ Steve and Betty Rolfe for their love, emotional support and encouragement. vi Table of Contents ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... II CO-AUTHORSHIP STATEMENT .............................................................................. IV ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................ V TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................................. VII LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................... XII LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................... XIII LIST OF APPENDICES ............................................................................................. XIV CHAPTER 1 ....................................................................................................................... 1 1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 1 Research Background .......................................................................................... 1 Wind energy development in Ontario: Overview of policy and historical context .............................................................................................................................. 4 A framework for understanding wind energy deployment and policy outcomes . 6 1.3.1 Community responses to wind energy development ................................... 8 1.3.2 The roles and experiences of wind energy developers and policy makers 13 Organization of thesis ........................................................................................ 16 References .......................................................................................................... 19 CHAPTER 2 ..................................................................................................................... 26 vii A METHODOLOGICAL ROADMAP FOR CONTENT ANALYSIS OF WIND ENERGY DEVELOPMENT AND POLICY ................................................................ 26 2. ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................. 26 Introduction and Theory .................................................................................... 27 Rationale for content analysis ........................................................................... 30 Justification for utilizing media contents ........................................................... 33 Media Content Analysis Protocol ...................................................................... 36 2.4.1 Sampling and Data Preparation.................................................................. 36 2.4.2 Pre-analysis