Wind Power. A Comparison between Austria and the Netherlands

Thèse de Bachelor , 2009 , 47 Pages , Note: 2,0

Sciences de l'énergie

Fossil fuels are essential for energy purposes in the world. About 80% (91,000 TWh) of the total primary energy supply and 64% (9400 TWh) of the electricity generation were produced with gas, oil and coal in 1999 (Jacobsson/Bergek, 2004: 815). However, this dominance is in context of clear environmental and climate challenges. The burning of fossil fuels is the main source of carbon dioxide emissions and it is growing with a rate of 0.5% per year. Moreover, due to the fact that those fuels are finite, it will become more difficult and more expensive to pursue an economical exploitation of these resources (Agterbosch, 2006: 13-14).

The European Union is going to implement and to enhance renewable energy technologies in order to secure energy supplies and to reduce dependence (about 54% of primary energy consumption in 2005 was imported, in 2000: 51%; EEA, 2008). For this purpose a comprehensive climate change package (20/20/20 by 2020: Europe`s climate change and energy package) was introduced in 2008 (EP, 2008). According to this program each Member State of the EU has received legally binding targets to reach the 20% share of renewable energy in the EU`s overall energy consumption till 2020 (EEP, 2008a; EEP, 2008b).

Consequently, the government of each Member State is trying to stimulate with various measures and efforts the development and use of renewable energy.

This paper investigates the institutional and social conditions, which are responsible for the successful (and failed respectively) implementation of renewable electricity technologies of two Member States of the EU, Austria and the Netherlands. It focuses on wind energy for electricity generation, analyses the evolution of the wind power supply market and examines the liberalisation of the electricity market in both countries. The main objects of this thesis are:

• To investigate the way of each government, in how to boost and to enhance renewable (wind) energy in its country in the last decades.
• To contrast the assets with the drawbacks of each wind power policy.
And, based on these insights,

• To analyse, how comparative are those ways and which instrument is recommendable for the other country.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• Wind power in the Netherlands
  • Overview
    • Overall energy structure
    • Electric power sector
    • Renewable electricity production
  • Governmental actions to increase renewable (wind) energy
    • Wind energy policy 1975 - 1994
    • Policy performance between 1975 till 1994
    • Review of the wind power policy 1975-1994
    • Wind energy policy 1995 - 2007
    • Policy performance between 1995 till 2007
    • Review of the wind power policy 1995 - 2007
  • Summary
• Wind power in Austria
  • Overview
    • Overall energy structure
    • Electric power sector
    • Renewable electricity production
  • Development of wind power in Austria
    • Wind energy policy from the 1970's till 2008
    • Policy performance in Austria
    • Review of the wind power policy
  • Summary
• Comparison
• References

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This paper aims to compare the wind energy policies of Austria and the Netherlands, analyzing the development and implementation of renewable energy technologies in these two European Union member states. The focus is on the evolution of the wind power supply market and the impact of electricity market liberalization in both countries.

• The development and implementation of wind energy policies in Austria and the Netherlands.
• The impact of government policies on the growth of wind power in both countries.
• The challenges and opportunities associated with wind energy development in Austria and the Netherlands.
• The role of electricity market liberalization in promoting wind energy.
• A comparative analysis of the wind energy policies of Austria and the Netherlands.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

Chapter 1 provides an overview of the energy market in the Netherlands, focusing on the recent wind energy policy and the consequences of liberalization. It examines the challenges and problems associated with wind power development in the Netherlands over the past 30 years.

Chapter 2 examines the development of wind power in Austria from the 1970s to 2007. It analyzes government actions to promote renewable energy, including a policy performance check and a review of the effectiveness of these policies.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The keywords and focus themes of the text include energy policy, wind power, Austria, and the Netherlands. The paper examines the development and implementation of wind energy policies in these two countries, analyzing the impact of government actions and market liberalization on the growth of wind power.

• Université: University of Graz (URBI)
• Cours: Energiewirtschaft
• Note: 2,0
• Auteur: Dipl.-Ing. Florian Buchner (Auteur)
• Année de publication: 2009
• Pages: 47
• N° de catalogue: V292684
• ISBN (ebook): 9783656897675
• ISBN (Livre): 9783656897682
• Langue: anglais
• mots-clé: Energy policy, Wind power, Austria, the Netherlands, Windkraft, Erneuerbare Energien, Energiepolitik, Österreich, Niederlande