Robert Wade (ESR 15)
The Political Economy of Landownership and Onshore Wind Energy
Project keywords: land ownership; rent; assetization; wind energy; political economy
This project explores the role of landownership and landowners in wind energy production. The relatively extensive spatial requirements of renewable energies like wind, solar and biomass situates the landowner as a central political and economic player in the low carbon transition. Drawing on political economy/political ecology, I examine the role of rent relations within the wind industry. I employ a comparative analysis of three European countries to explain the processes and implications of wind rent relations in these different contexts.
Robert's other research interests include philosophy of science (critical realism) and distributed generation/P2P energy systems.
Robert's supervisors
Professor Geraint Ellis
School of Natural and Built Environment
Queen’s University Belfast
Professor John Barry
School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics
Queen’s University Belfast
Dr Gerard Mullally
Lecturer
Department of Sociology
University College Cork