Scepticism, Pragmatism, Evangelism … Public attitudes to wind farms

Geraint Ellis, John Barry and Clive Robinson Queen’s University, Belfast

Overview:

 The importance of public attitudes  Conventional understanding of public attitudes  Developing a better understanding  Key values informing opposition and support  Case study: The Tunnes Plateau

The importance of understanding public attitudes

  The key barrier to expanding wind energy is not technological, but institutional.

Many institutional factors are influenced by public attitudes.

   The most important influence on individual applications appears to be the attitude of the local population.

Claims over public attitudes is one of the key points of debate between regulators, developers and objector interests.

Understanding of public attitudes is poor, badly framed and under developed.

Research on public attitudes

 Establishes some understanding and identifies key issues.

 Describes but does not

explain

windfarms. perceptions of  Most research in this area based on a number of key weaknesses.  This has had a negative and misguided impact on policy towards objectors.

Weaknesses of current research into public attitudes

 The over-reliance on the opinion poll

Weaknesses of current research into public attitudes

 The concept of NIMBYs and implied ‘deviancy’  The attitude-behaviour gap  Lack of understanding of public attitudes have real effects and can misguide policy:  Implied ignorance and the need for more information  Monolithic notions of opposition  Lack understanding of the dynamic of the dispute  Entrench conflict  Not in long tem interests of the sector  The need for an alternative approach

   

Institutional context for wind farm planning: National Government objectives for:



Climate change

 

Energy security Economy Local authority aims to:



Satisfy majority of constituents



Strengthen local economy

 

Protect the environment Secure “good” planning Community concerns with:



Landscape

 

Property values Stability



The future Private sector issues:



Investment opportunities

  

Minimising costs Certainty Address wider community and environmental concerns?

The wider political and ethical context for wind farms

 Energy and Climate Change  Technology and Progress  Place, Change and Landscape  Opposition and Participation  Knowledge, Problem Framing and Understanding … all of which challenge some form of conventional wisdom.

The clash of values

 Wind farm conflicts are not a clash of “facts”, but of values related to:  Governance  Participation  Technology  Power distribution  Landscape aesthetics  These are not measured effectively through opinion polls  To respond to this, one must thoroughly understand the

values

that inform both opposition and support, not just establish more “facts”.

Key values informing opposition

 Sacrifice and disempowerment  Lack of trust  Language of war, conflict and defence  Industrialisation and commercialisation  Foreignness and alien nature of wind farms  Denial of NIMBY label.

 Sceptical of ‘non-local forces’  Questioning viability of wind farms.

Key values informing support

 Problems of aesthetics and objectivity  Support = Virtue  Opposition = Conservativism and Ignorance  Wind as a business opportunity  Rationality, Rigour, Science  Partnership  Emissaries of support  Urgency and Threat

The Tunes Plateau Case Study

 Major offshore wind farm proposal, off North coast of NI.

 Study supported by ESRC conducted in 2005-06.

 Identified range of issues seen as relevant.  Identified key themes of support and opposition.

Climate change will destroy the area more permanently than a few wind turbines This process is being driven by Kyoto which lacks credibility since the US has not signed up Conventional power generation and fuel use drives climate change and should be changed The benefits to climate change of this project will be negated by the environmental damage it causes This is more about reaching EC quotas on carbon than a properly thought out process Planning service does not have the legislation to cover this development There is no application because this process is a feasibility study – it is about finding out the whole story Land use planning procedures do not apply at sea and siting offshore is a way to circumnavigate due process Decision should delayed until C Z Management Strategy is implemented Planning Dispute over ownership of the seabed People have no choice but to object loudly as silence is seen as acceptance Concerns over the procurement process and how B9 awarded contract The Irish citizens will receive no benefits and are not included in the decision making process Governance Undemocratic that Gov Dept can press ahead without Assembly debate Some of the companies behind the project are big polluters and involved in nuclear industry Climate change is a fact exasperated by human activity that needs urgently to be addressed Wind farms are part of a combined strategy to combat climate change More should be done to stop existing emissions Climate Change Bio Diversity May provide nursery reefs for fish and protected area Disrupt bird migration paths (Whooper Swans) There is no trustworthy process to assess impacts that is not influenced by the developer Affect fish migration (Salmon & Eels) Blades may kill birds All the impacts will be assessed and mitigated for Effects are unknown Affect the movement of the sands and the formation of the Tunns CZM May destroy blue flag beaches Cause sands to move away from the spit Negatively affect shipping routes May cause turbulence and wind damage May affect future development associated with Derry Airport by restricting flight paths Can affect radar, mobile phones, radio communications, sonar, television signals Restrict the size of vessels using the Foyle estuary and affect ferry services Turbines are temporary structures for 25 years which will be removed Infra structure Tunnes Location Tunes Plateau – an invention The generating technology chooses the location, there are limits to what can be achieved Mythological importance of the Tunns Culture Red sails in the Sunset Windmills 60 – 80m high, 600m apart 5km off shore Uncertainty over number of turbines Large exclusion zone around turbines for small vessels on traditional fishing grounds Will need landfall station somewhere Offshore windfarms still need pylons and infrastructure once they come ashore Conventional power supplies will run out and we need new technologies to deliver power Will not be able to adjust to peak demand times Supply is intermittent and unpredictable Wave and tidal power would be less intrusive and more reliable No power stations will close The technology does not exist to store the power effectively Conventional power stations are very inefficient Supply Foot Print Local Benefits Economics Amenity There are other sites which have less intrinsic value B9 did not have alternative sites to consider Tourists will not be put off Be visible from Shrove, Greencastle to Castlerock, Portrush and Giants Causeway We all live in a capitalist economy Visual pollution Noise pollution Modern turbines are less intrusive Navigation lights at night Wind industry is heavily subsidised which distorts the real costs Money invested in the wind industry is used to develop more effective technologies Prohibit trawling and net fishing industries Will cause drop in tourist numbers If the turbines are going to be made at H&W it should be clearly stated how much benefit it will bring Local people will not benefit from cheaper electricity Jobs will be created People are taxed to pay for wind If the developers provide some form of local benefits that may be seen as a bride Drift net fishing for salmon has been banned by the EU and turbines may provide habitats suitable for rod and line fishing Local people will pay for this through their taxes, high electricity costs and loss of natural resources This is about making money for corporations not saving the environment Conventional power stations are also subsidised by taxes

Idealised Supporter Discourses

 Rationalising Globally - Sacrificing Locally: Deeply concerned about climate change and energy security, suggests that addressing these challenges should override any local impacts.

 Local Pastoralist – Developer Sceptic A more traditional, pastoral view of the environment, unhappy about potential impacts on the North Coast. Offers reluctant support in the recognition of the need for more sustainable energy.

 Embrace Wind Very strong belief in wind power, future-orientated and uncritical of the proposal and wind farms developers.

 Site Specific Supporter – Energy Pragmatist High level of concern with energy issues, a more pragmatic outlook, resulting in site-specific support for the Tunes Plateau scheme.

Idealised Objector Discourses



Anti-Wind Power - Local Resister

Deeply sceptical of the concept of wind power, shows confidence that the project can be resisted through local activism. 

Wind Power-Supporter - Siting Sheriff

Offers support to the concept of wind power but expresses major site-specific concerns related to the Tunes Plateau proposal.



Anti-Developer – Local Pragmatist

Deep suspicion of wind farm developers, less concerned about “big” issues like climate change, most motivated by the potential of tangible local impacts, such as the loss of jobs. 

Economic Sceptic- Siting Compromiser

Most concerned with shorter term, impacts of the proposed scheme, willing to consider other siting option as and applies a more reasoned, economic rationale to evaluating wind power.

Supporter-Objector Comparisons

 Consensus:  Concern and awareness over climate change.

 All value seascape –differences in how turbines impact on this.

 Scale of proposal is an important consideration.

 Lack of recognition that both sides of the argument engaged in propaganda.

 Agreement that some issues are not that important to debate – veracity of impact studies, democratic credentials of authorisation process.

 Disagreement:  Visual quality vs. action on climate change.

 Value of wind power and place in energy mix.

 Use of ratepayers money to fund campaign.

 Disagreement on sincerity of developers.

Final thoughts…

 A need for a change in perception: 

Not

a conflict, but a debate.

 Ignorance is not generally a cause of objection, or support.

 The manner of how the debate is conducted is critical – the need for trust.

 A need for a change in approach:  The need for more collaborative approach, based on better mutual understanding.



Not

to aim for consensus, but search for a settlement of differences  Recognising the virtues of objection and using it as a positive attribute.

 The lack of trusted umpires