Those who support wind development in view of their home take responsibility for their energy use and that of others: evidence from a multi-scale analysis

ABSTRACT

While shifting electricity production to renewable sources is of critical importance in addressing global climate change, the costs of such development are often felt locally. This study explores what leads to support for wind development when respondents are asked to think about three different geographic scales: general, regional and within view of their home. Research was conducted in the Chignecto area of Atlantic Canada, a semi-rural area in which a prominent 15-turbine wind farm was constructed in 2012. A random population mail-out survey achieved a response rate of 40%. Questions explored exposure to wind turbines; support for wind energy development; place attachment; beliefs concerning the distribution of energy and benefits; and demographics. While most predictors of support are significant in bivariate correlations, many commonly used predictors of wind support, such as place attachment or community benefits, disappear or weaken under controls as predictors of support at smaller scales. Novel predictors of support inspired by climax thinking emerged as stronger at more local scales, including support for energy export beyond local needs and agreement that wind turbines provide a reminder of energy use. These results suggest new pathways for understanding support for wind development within the communities most directly affected.

KEYWORDS:

• Community benefits
• community support
• energy export
• local energy
• renewable energy
• wind turbines

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all survey participants in the Chignecto area for their interest in this study and for taking the time to complete our survey and be involved with this research. The study was reviewed and approved by the Dalhousie University Social Sciences & Humanities Research Ethics Board to be in accordance with the Tri-Council Policy Statement on Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans. REB # 2018-4467. E. Chappell: Conceptualization, Methodology, Investigation, Formal analysis, Funding acquisition, Writing – Original Draft, Visualization. J. Parkins: Methodology, Validation, Supervision, Writing – Review & Editing, Visualisation, Funding acquisition. K. Sherren: Conceptualization, Methodology, Supervision, Writing – Review & Editing, Visualisation, Funding acquisition.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

Ellen Chappell was supported throughout this research by a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Canada Graduate Scholarship – Masters; the Nova Scotia Research and Innovation Graduate Scholarship (NSGS); and the Dalhousie University School for Resource and Environmental Studies (SRES) Research Legacy Scholarship. This work was also supported by a SSHRC Insight Grant [grant number 435-2017-0281] awarded to John Parkins.

Notes on contributors

Ellen N. Chappell

Ellen N. Chappell completed a Master of Environmental Studies at Dalhousie University in 2019. Her research focused on social factors influencing public perceptions and acceptance of wind energy. Ellen is currently working for the Canadian government in the field of environmental health and is interested in strategies to improve both environmental and human health.

John R. Parkins

John R. Parkins is professor of sociology in the Department of Resource Economics and Environmental Sociology at the University of Alberta. His current research and teaching address the social context of resource development, renewable and community energy, public deliberation and environmental politics, and sustainable agriculture in Alberta.

Kate Sherren

Kate Sherren is professor of landscape social science in the School for Resource and Environmental Studies at Dalhousie University. She researches the human dimensions of sustainability landscape transitions in diverse contexts including agriculture, energy, cities and coasts.