The planning process for wind farm projects appears to be a complicated matter in many cases. Despite the positive attitude towards wind power in general, local wind farm projects often face strong opposition. The aim of this study is to shed more light on residents' perceptions of participation in the planning process of wind farms.This study is based on interview data (N = 22) and survey data (N = 291) collected from residents living near two Finnish large-scale onshore wind farms built about 1.5 years before the data was collected. The results indicate that residents' participation in the planning process was rather passive and the vast majority of the respondents perceived that they did not have an opportunity to participate. Quite interestingly, perceived participation in the planning process resulted in a decrease in acceptability in terms of perceived well-being.Furthermore, the results indicate that the need for participation does not expire after the planning process for a wind farm has concluded. Thus, project developers should be prepared to continue communication with residents after the planning phase.

Wind power has been identified as one of the most promising sources of renewable energy. However, its diffusion has not been as rapid as anticipated. The objective here is to analyse attitudes towards wind power among Finnish local residents and owners of second homes. First, we assess their existing knowledge of and level of interest in energy issues and wind power. Second, we analyse potential differences in attitudes between the two stakeholder groups when it comes to wind power in general and the proposed wind farm in particular. The study draws on both quantitative survey data and qualitative interview data. One of the key findings concerns the different perceptions among locals and owners of second homes in a rural area. Both groups were interested in questions of energy production and accepted wind power in general. Nevertheless, the proposed project in Ruokolahti seemed to polarize attitudes. This paper offers new insights into attitudes to wind energy among Finnish locals and owners of second homes in the same area.