Assessing Sustainability:Spatial Considerations When Developing Wind Power

Abstract: The global goal is to have a development process that is sustainable. This can be justified forenvironmental, moral, and for the purpose of this study, business reasons. To do this thecurrent business process in question, the wind project development process, should be givenrecommendations for sustainability. Sustainability though is dependent on the level ofanalysis. To benefit from sustainability thinking the level at which the wind projects impactsoccur must be considered. This is why wind power is perceived sustainable at a national andglobal level but not at the local level where projects meet permitting resistance. By comparingthe differences between sustainability at the local and national / global levels sustainabilityeffects from wind power development can be identified. Local sustainability strategies canthen be applied to the wind development process to identify when and where sustainabilitythinking will add value. For practical application qualitative case study data will be used tosupport the analysis. Grounding the analysis is an understanding of the concepts involvedwith framing, managing, and assessing sustainability.