Books Reviews by Paul Gipe
I have an extensive library on wind energy and energy policy. A number of these books I’ve reviewed over the years. Not all are in English, my native language. Nonetheless, I’ve reviewed some books in German, French, and Danish because I think it’s important to hear what these authors have to say about wind development in their countries.
Windpower Ownership in Sweden–a Review
By
Paul Gipe
Windpower Ownership in Sweden: Business models and motives, the new book by Tore Wizelius helps English-speakers understand how Swedes have taken a sizable ownership of wind energy in spite of their government. In this, his book can serve as an inspiration to community wind advocates worldwide who face many of the same challenges faced in Sweden.
Renewables International: Socrates didn’t invent solar architecture–Review of John Perlin’s Let it Shine
By
Craig Morris
The knowledge from Faust’s book was translated into an active solar building program in the 1820s through the 1850s in Lower Bavaria, Hessen and Prussia. . . Faust’s ideas were implemented in Bavaria, where the first solar schools were built. Faust’s Sonnenstadt plan was an ideal solar city, and the frontispiece to his book became a reality as the inspiration for the rebuilding of La Chaux-de-Faunds, Switzerland in the 1850s. In 2009, the United Nations chose the city as a World Heritage Site.
My Indecent Offer to the Chancellor–Because We Cannot Let the Energy Transition Fail!—A Review
By
Paul Gipe
I’d already marked up my version of Matthias Willenbacher’s book My Indecent Offer to the Chancellor in the faint hope …
Wind Energy and Friends of the Earth in Kassel, Germany–Some Observations
By
Paul Gipe
Over the years I’ve noted more than once the observation that most major environmental groups in Germany give a full-throated …
Le bruit de l’éolien, rumeurs, cancans, mensonges et petites histoires (Wind Turbine Noise: Rumors, Gossip, Lies, and Stories)—A Review
By
Paul Gipe
Wind Turbine Noise: Rumors, Gossip, Lies, and Stories– is a lovely little book–56 pages—I’ve had on the shelf for some time with the intent of reviewing it for its insights on the nature of rumor-mongering and wind energy.
The Evolution of Feed in Tariffs in Germany, Spain, and France—a Review
By
Paul Gipe
Even though most analysts focused only on the economic aspects of feed-in tariffs and quota models and not on non-economic factors, such as transparency and local ownership, the results were startling–in part because they were coming from Brussels. In a now famous 2005 study, Commission researchers concluded that “well-adapted feed-in tariff regimes are generally the most efficient and effective support schemes for promoting renewable electricity.” . .
The Feed-in Tariff Handbook–a Review
By
Paul Gipe
Powering the Green Economy: The Feed-in Tariff Handbook is a book that has been out for some time and though …
Community Wind Power: Local Energy for Local People by BWE–A Review
By
Paul Gipe
In a densely populated country like Germany, wind turbines as a consequence are installed near people, as are all other forms of infrastructure. That’s one of the most striking observations North Americans make when visiting Germany – there are wind turbines, solar panels, and biogas plants everywhere. Thus, it’s critically important for the expansion of renewable energy in Germany that the public not only accept wind turbines in the landscape but endorse it. . .
Global Cooling Strategies for climate protection–A review
By
Paul Gipe
We were returning to San Francisco from the World Wind Energy Association conference in Bonn this past July. As we boarded the plane we met Hans-Josef Fell. Fell was the reason we had to get back to San Francisco. I planned to attend the launch of Fell’s book, Global Cooling Strategies for climate protection at Inter-Solar. It was an event I didn’t want to miss. . .
Wind Power: a Danish Story-A review
By
Paul Gipe
This is a beautifully done DVD on the early days of the Danish wind industry. The film was produced by Jørgen Vestergaard in Danish with English subtitles and includes movie clips, photos, and interviews of Danish wind pioneers. . .
