Abstract

This examination focuses on the supply conditions that affect federal political leaders' will and ability to create incentives that stimulate private investment in their nations' wind industry. Operating from a political economy approach rooted in institutional theory I investigate and compare the conditions, between 1970 and 2004, that influenced German and Canadian federal political leaders' motivation and capacity to design wind energy incentives for the private sector. I begin with a brief introduction that highlights the significance of this topic within the context of advanced industrial countries' policy landscape. I then outline and qualify my methodological and theoretical choices for this investigation. A detailed analysis of the supply conditions affecting German federal political leaders' willingness and ability to create wind energy incentives follows. I subsequently assess the supply conditions affecting Canadian federal political leaders' willingness and ability. I conclude by suggesting that political pressure on German leaders to address the climate change challenge valorized their perception of wind turbines, which in turn catalyzed their will to create attractive incentives for private investment in the wind industry. Conversely, the political and economic benefits for Canadian leaders to deregulate energy markets coupled with the low degree of political concern pertaining to climate change during the mid-1980s restricted their willingness. In both case studies federal political leaders' ability to implement their will was determined by the level of cooperation they received from political, energy and financial organizations