UCSBTheCurrent
Wind energy is, by far, the most common type of clean energy. And transitioning to clean energy is critical to addressing the climate crisis. Yet local opposition poses a significant barrier to the deployment of wind energy projects.
A study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by researchers from UC Santa Barbara, the University of Michigan and Gallup Inc. examined wind energy projects throughout the United States and Canada to determine how common opposition is and what factors predict it. The study found that nearly one in five projects faced opposition (17% of wind projects in the U.S. and 18% in Canada). It also found that opposition to wind farms involved small groups of local opponents, and was more likely in whiter communities in the United States and wealthier communities in Canada.
“Most research on opposition to wind energy projects focuses on specific case studies or small geographic areas,” said Leah Stokes, lead author and the Anton Vonk Associate Professor of Environmental Politics in the Department of Political Science at UCSB. “We wanted to take a comprehensive look at political opposition across North America to understand how common opposition is and what predicts it.”
“Fossil fuel plants are predominantly located in poorer communities and communities of color. When wealthier, whiter communities oppose wind energy projects in their backyards, they extend the lifetime of fossil fuel projects. This is an injustice.”
The study collected over 35,000 news articles to analyze 1,415 North American wind energy projects between 2000 and 2016. Political opposition to projects was defined as physical protests, legal actions, legislation and letters to the editor. In total, 17% of wind projects in the United States and 18% in Canada faced significant opposition, with rates of opposition increasing in both countries over time.
In the U.S., opposition was concentrated in the Northeast, and in areas with a higher proportion of white residents and a lower proportion of Hispanic residents. In addition, the names of the people who opposed wind projects were overwhelmingly likely (92.4%) to be white. In Canada, opposition was concentrated in Ontario and in wealthy communities. In both countries, larger projects were more likely to face opposition than smaller projects. The number of people engaging in opposition was small at a given project: the median number of protestors was 23 in the U.S. and 34 in Canada.
“Fossil fuel plants are predominantly located in poorer communities and communities of color,” Stokes explained. “These plants create pollution. We need to replace fossil fuel power plants with clean energy, like wind and solar. When wealthier, whiter communities oppose wind energy projects in their backyards, they extend the lifetime of fossil fuel projects. This is an injustice.”
In the study, researchers used the term “energy privilege” to describe this environmental justice challenge: opposing clean energy is a privilege because wealthy white communities can continue to consume goods and services from burning fossil fuels while lower-income communities and communities of color bear the brunt of that pollution.
I agree with ignorance and willful acceptance of misinformation, race has nothing to do with this, it’s all about the wealthy NIMBY’s who have the time, bandwidth, and capability to complain about these projects vs. the lower-class, whose too worried about how their going to fill their gas tank to get to their 2nd/3rd job to have any concern about a wind project.
It’s a shame to see much need progress hindered by ignorance and willful acceptance of misinformation.
This is worrisome: “Turbine blades – on average 116ft long – are difficult to recycle due to the glass fibre or carbon fibre materials used in their construction. They are also very robust having been built to withstand harsh weather.” And ————
“Campaign group Scotland Against Spin (SAS) says that while 85 per cent of wind turbines can be recycled – including the steel towers and components in the gearing and generator – the blades, each weighing around eight tonnes, are a different matter.” source: https://www.scotsman.com/news/environment/blades-from-scotlands-first-wind-farm-s
Edit: https://www.scotsman.com/news/environment/blades-from-scotlands-first-wind-farm-sent-into-storage-4287220
Great thing is, that’s becoming a thing of the past. Turbine blades are now almost fully recyclable with relevant technology advancing at a rapid pace. Tech progress is great!
https://www.energy.gov/eere/wind/articles/carbon-rivers-makes-wind-turbine-blade-recycling-and-upcycling-reality-support
https://www.nationalgrid.com/stories/energy-explained/can-wind-turbine-blades-be-recycled
https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2023/05/29/exp-turbine-blades-recycle-052902aseg4-cnni-business.cnn
“can be recycled” does not equal “are recycled” or “will be recycled”. Almost everything, including spent nuclear fuel, “can be recycled” but I guarantee you wouldn’t allow that argument to support building more nuclear power plants.
we’re not even recycling basic plastic bottles https://www.npr.org/2022/10/24/1131131088/recycling-plastic-is-practically-impossible-and-the-problem-is-getting-worse
LOL ok…. yeah, wind turbine manufactures are putting millions into this tech just to not do it. Great “argument” there pal.
Ah yes, trust turbine manufactures about this claim, kinda like this: https://www.npr.org/2020/09/11/897692090/how-big-oil-misled-the-public-into-believing-plastic-would-be-recycled
Weird, we can’t reply more than 3x to a comment now? OK VOICE, to your comment about BIG OIL’s claim……. yeah, I trust “big wind” more so comparing to big oil lying about how plastic would be recycled is not the same. Seriously have to explain that? LOL
Again, comparing individual consumer recycling to manufacturer recycling is NOT analogous. Just think about it. Common sense there.
You shouldn’t trust any “big” industry whose number one motivation is profit. They don’t have your, our, or the planets best interests at heart, contrary to what they may say. Don’t fall for green washing.
Well, when turbine blade manufacturers get caught lying about this (remember, independent companies with no skin in the game are developing this tech too), you can tell me “told you so” all you want. Until then, the FACT is that blades are recyclable and wind tech is advancing rapidly to counter all “negative” aspects of wind power. I’ll hold my criticism until there’s actually something to criticize, but I know I’ll be alone in that. Right?