Public acceptance of offshore wind power: does perceived fairness of process matter?

Abstract

This paper analyses the findings of recent mail surveys of residents living near two proposed offshore wind power projects – Cape Wind off Massachusetts and Bluewater Wind off Delaware. In 2009, 57% supported Cape Wind, while 80% supported Bluewater Wind. To measure the relationship between perceptions of public process and substantive support or opposition, we assessed opinions of procedural fairness, local community voice and trust in developers. A plurality ofresidents in both cases is relatively satisfied with the process, while statistical modelling suggests that satisfaction with the process and outcome may be mutually reinforcing or jointly determined.

Keywords:

• offshore wind
• public opinion
• procedural justice
• transparency
• fairness

Acknowledgement

This research was funded by NOAA/Delaware Sea Grant, Contract #NA10OAR4170084.

Notes

1. Although a continuous income measure is more precise, we instead employed a categorical income measure to enhance question response, given that respondents are more willing to check off a category than to write in a specific income figure, as our primary use of income was for weighting purposes (Dillman 2007).

2. There is an argument that wind project support and generally positive wind energy attitudes are endogenous (Gujarati 2003). However, because we desired to understand the relationship between general attitudes and satisfaction with the process and wanted to use parallel formulations for the process and outcome models, we include both here.