NIMBYism revisited: public acceptance of wind energy in the United States

Abstract

The acronym NIMBY, known to stand for ‘Not‐In‐My‐Back‐Yard’, generally describes resistance to siting specific projects close to one's area of residence while exhibiting acceptance of similar projects elsewhere. As wind energy continues to be recognized as a successful technology for meeting renewable energy targets and decreasing carbon dioxide emissions, the siting of wind turbines is a growing challenge that policy makers, facility planners, and wind developers face. The most often cited motivations for public support and opposition are reviewed here with a focus on wind energy developments in the United States. The purpose is to present the existing state of research on community responses to wind energy and to answer the following questions: What motivates support and opposition to facility siting, and in particular to wind energy facilities? Does the literature provide substantial evidence that NIMBYism is the determining motivation for opposition in the United States and, by extension, does the term's widespread use help to explain opposition? What mechanisms have been proposed for ‘overcoming’ NIMBYism, if it is present? This paper, following the recommendations of other social scientists, provides a collective call for a significant course shift: rather than proposing strategies to ‘overcome’ opposition, research should focus on proposing how to make siting successful. Drawing on a review of the relevant literature, the ‘ENUF’ framework—which stands for ‘Engage, Never use NIMBY, Understand, and Facilitate’—is introduced as a step in that direction. WIREs Clim Change 2013, 4:575–601. doi: 10.1002/wcc.250 This article is categorized under: Perceptions, Behavior, and Communication of Climate Change > Behavior Change and Responses The Carbon Economy and Climate Mitigation > Policies, Instruments, Lifestyles, Behavior

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

“…As such, the report underlines the need for a better understanding of the drivers of wind facility acceptance among affected communities (USDOE, 2015). This recommendation echoes the calls of numerous social scientists, who have suggested that successful implementation of U.S. wind projects relies on a deeper understanding of local stakeholders (e.g., Petrova, 2013).…”

“…In the United States, federal production incentives for wind energy have required a significant tax liability, tipping the scales toward large private developers of wind projects (Bolinger, 2005). Some studies have demonstrated that community ownership is correlated to higher support and more positive attitudes toward wind energy in Europe and other regions (Krohn & Damborg, 1999;Maruyama et al, 2007;Petrova, 2013;Warren & McFadyen, 2010). One may reasonably expect some differences in perceptions and acceptance of wind energy in North America in relation to the low level of community ownership in the region.…”

“…The same can be said about other large construction projects. Transmission lines, landfills, and parks are among the types of projects that have been opposed (Gipe, 1995), and some people even protested the location and appearance of the Statue of Liberty (Petrova, 2013). Every component of our current electrical system was the product of social negotiation and compromise, including over "17,000 conventional generators, 250,000 miles of high voltage transmission lines, thousands of substations," and much more (Sovacool, 2009, p. 4502).…”

“…From early surveys of residents near California wind farms (Bosley & Bosley, 1988) until today, opposition and negative attitudes toward wind energy have commonly been described by developers, politicians, and researchers as not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY) resistance (Petrova, 2013). The NIMBY concept posits that individuals favor wind energy generally but not in their local context-not in their "backyard."…”

“…However, many researchers now agree that the NIMBY framework is overly simplistic and unable to explain the complex motivations, concerns, and perceptions that can lead to opposition and negative attitudes (Devine-Wright, 2005;Petrova, 2013). Firestone et al (2012b) stress that NIMBY resistance may be a result of opposition, rather than an explanation of it.…”