TY - JOUR
TI - Regional variation in public acceptance of wind energy development in Europe: What are the roles of planning procedures and participation?
AU - Suskevics, M
AU - Eiter, S
AU - Martinat, S
AU - Stober, D
AU - Vollmer, E
AU - de Boer, C
AU - Buchecker, M
T2 - Land Use Policy
AB - The successful transition towards renewable energy (RE) technologies is closely intertwined with various societal aspects. Wind energy (WE) is one of the most controversial RE-types, possibly due to the multiplicity of related public concerns. Although some European country-comparisons exist, research concerning acceptance factors in different political and cultural planning contexts is scarce, especially in Eastern and Southern Europe. This paper explores the variation of (1) acceptance issues across Europe, and (2) patterns of strategic and local planning in affecting WE acceptance. We conducted an expert survey among the members of the COST Action ‘Renewable Energy and Landscape Quality’ and the association Wind Energy Europe. We found that acceptance issues – as perceived by the experts – across different regions in Europe share certain similarities, such as concerns about landscape impacts. The priority-levels of acceptance issues are specific to each region and link to the planning quality in that context. Planners’ and decision-makers’ increased awareness about the diversity of acceptance issues would allow them to design more appropriate strategic and local planning processes.
DA - 2019/02//
PY - 2019
VL - 81
SP - 311
EP - 323
UR - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264837718309220
DO - 10.1016/j.landusepol.2018.10.032
LA - English
KW - Wind Energy
KW - Land-Based Wind
KW - Human Dimensions
KW - Social & Economic Data
ER -