Evaluating Public Attitudes about Wind Energy Using a Spatial Proximity Analysis

The wind industry has been growing rapidly over the past decade bolstered by significant public support. This positive view of wind turbines, however, is not shared by everyone. Some groups hold strong views that the pace of wind energy development is negatively impacting the daily lives of rural populations. Using a national survey based on theory-driven hypotheses, we explore the factors related to public attitudes towards wind, solar, natural gas and coal. Using statistical model regressions, survey respondents’ level of support for different energy sources is predicted and results are compared to previous literature. In addition, a proximity analysis was completed utilizing our survey data and the GIS-based US Wind Turbine Database (USWTDB), a combined effort from the Lawrence Berkeley Lab, US Geological Survey, and the American Wind Energy Association, that has about 60,000 unique wind turbines plotted spatially by their geographic coordinates across the US, Puerto Rico, and Guam. We study how attitudes about wind energy and other energy sources are affected by location, visibility, and prevailing weather conditions. Results highlight key points of view in regard to energy that could help bridge the communication gap between scientists, policy makers, and the public.