Mitigating the NIMBY effect on renewable energy: Experimental evidence from survey-based interventions in Catalonia

The deployment of solar and wind power plants is widely supported in principle, yet local communities often resist when such projects appear in their immediate vicinity—a pattern commonly referred to as the NIMBY (Not in My Back Yard) effect. This contradiction poses significant challenges for decarbonization efforts. In this study, we draw on open-ended responses and two survey-based experimental designs embedded in general representative public opinion surveys conducted in Catalonia. The 2024 Climate Barometer (N = 1650) captures spontaneous public perceptions of renewable energy through open-ended questions and a survey experiment on how project scale and technology type affect local support. The 28th Omnibus Survey (N = 1200) includes another experiment that quantifies the NIMBY effect and tests whether framing strategies—such as highlighting environmental benefits or economic incentives (e.g., municipal tax reductions)—reduce opposition to local projects. Our findings confirm the presence of a NIMBY effect on renewables, with landscape considerations emerging as a key factor. However, targeted communication about climate benefits and local financial gains, as well as implementing smaller-scale projects, significantly reduces resistance. These results provide policymakers and developers with actionable strategies to diminish local opposition, thereby facilitating the expansion of renewable energy infrastructure.