Social Science Explanations for Host Community Responses to Wind Energy

Thirty years of North American wind energy acceptance research: What have we learned?

“…For example, community acceptance of wind energy can affect market acceptance and vice versa. Indeed, this has been the case when local opposition has delayed or derailed proposed wind projects (Corscadden et al, 2012;Fast, 2015;Shaw et al, 2015). For years, debates around wind energy acceptance in North America focused on sociopolitical and market acceptance, pertaining largely to technological innovation, economic incentives, and impacts on the operations and resiliency of the electric grid, with less attention paid to societal impacts (Lantz & Flowers, 2011;Phadke, 2010).…”

“…Some researchers have proposed that a lack of knowledge about energy generally or wind energy specifically may explain opposition or negative attitudes (Bosley & Bosley, 1988;Bush & Hoagland, 2016;Klick & Smith, 2010; Thirty years of North American wind energy acceptance research │19 2009), but this "information deficit" explanation has been largely discredited. Opponents and those with negative attitudes are not ignorant of wind energy facts (Fast, 2015), and high levels of knowledge about energy do not necessarily correlate with support or positive attitudes (Baxter et al, 2013). On the other hand, Bidwell (2016a) did find a relationship between an informational intervention and increased support, and suggests that the information deficit model should not be dismissed.…”

“…Planning process, fairness, trust Community participation in development process Bidwell, 2016bBohn & Lant, 2009Corscadden et al, 2012Fast et al, 2016Firestone et al, 2012bGroth & Vogt, 2014Huesca-Pérez et al, 2016Jacquet, 2015Jami & Walsh, 2014Phadke, 2011Shaw et al, 2015Songsore & Buzzelli, 2015Sovacool & Ratan, 2012Walker et al, 2014c How Fast, 2015Fast et al, 2016Firestone et al, 2012bShaw et al, 2015Songsore & Buzzelli, 2014 Do perceptions of fairness influence perceptions of economic impacts or reported health impacts?…”

“…Do individuals living closest to turbines have distinct attitudes or impacts? Cumulative impacts -Hazboun et al, 2016Petrova, 2013Walker et al, 2014c The influence of cumulative impacts on communities needs further study in North America Other Knowledge / information deficit Baxter et al, 2013Bidwell, 2016aBosley & Bosley, 1988Bush & Hoagland, 2016Corscadden et al, 2012Fast, 2015Klick & Smith, 2010Sovacool, 2009Swofford & Slattery, 2010 What kinds of entities are trusted sources for information about wind energy? What are preferred methods for presenting information?…”

“…Qualitative Methods Literature review Fast, 2015Fournis & Fortin, 2016Huesca-Pérez et al, 2016Knopper & Ollson, 2011Knopper et al, 2014Lantz & Flowers, 2011Pasqualetti, 2011bPetrova, 2013Rule, 2014Content analysis Abbott, 2010Bohn & Lant, 2009Bolinger, 2005Ferguson-Martin & Hill, 2012Pasqualetti, 2011aPhadke, 2010Shaw et al, 2015Songsore & Buzzelli, 2014Interview / Focus Group Dwyer, 2016Jami & Walsh, 2017Kempton et al, 2005Pasqualetti, 2001Phadke, 2013Shaw et al, 2015Sovacool, 2009 Comment / Perspective / Qualitative case study Bidwell, 2016bFast et al, 2016Hirsch & Sovacool, 2013Jami & Walsh, 2014Pasqualetti, 2000Phadke, 2011 Expert elicitation Bush & Hoagland, 2016 …”