Abstract

This case discusses the various policy initiatives undertaken by the US and Canadian governments to promote the wind energy sector. Regulatory environment creates demand for wind energy by making it mandatory for power generators and suppliers to include wind power as a portion of their power supply. Tax credits incentivize installation of wind energy generation capacity that helps to increase the supply of wind energy. The US and Canada also have significant offshore wind energy generation potential, which can supplement onshore wind power generation. Favorable regulations need to be framed to support offshore wind energy generation. The case highlights the importance of regulatory environment for the sustainable development of the wind energy industry.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Understand the importance of wind energy as an eco-friendly and reusable energy source for power generation
• Understand the importance of having a favorable regulatory environment for the development of the wind energy industry.

Keywords

Wind Energy Industry, Regulatory Environment, Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS), Production Tax Credit, Greenhouse Gas Emission, Fossil Fuel Consumption, Wind Power Production Incentives (WPPI), Feed-in Tariff, Onshore and Offshore Wind Turbines, Net Metering Systems, Advanced Energy Initiative, Research and Development, American Wind Energy Association, Alternative Green Power Source