Does multidimensional distance matter? Perceptions and acceptance of wind power

Abstract

In addressing long-term climate and energy challenges with wind energy, the acceptance of wind power is in a key role. Here, we systematically emphasize the several dimensions of distance, namely spatial, temporal, social, and experiential, and test the difference in attitudes toward near and distant wind turbines in these dimensions. We focus on both attitudes toward wind power and perceptions of its impacts using survey data with spatial information from southwestern Finland. Spatial distance associated significantly and positively with attitudes toward wind power. Regarding the social and temporal dimensions of distance, the direction of the association was against our hypothesis, meaning that the lower the distance was, the more positive were the attitudes. For experiential distance, no association was observed. The results recommend siting wind farms at a distance of over 10 km from population centers. Avoiding conflicts with vacation homes creates a new social challenge for wind power development.