ABSTRACT

While shifting electricity production to renewable sources is of critical importance in addressing global climate change, the costs of such development are often felt locally. This study explores what leads to support for wind development when respondents are asked to think about three different geographic scales: general, regional and within view of their home. Research was conducted in the Chignecto area of Atlantic Canada, a semi-rural area in which a prominent 15-turbine wind farm was constructed in 2012. A random population mail-out survey achieved a response rate of 40%. Questions explored exposure to wind turbines; support for wind energy development; place attachment; beliefs concerning the distribution of energy and benefits; and demographics. While most predictors of support are significant in bivariate correlations, many commonly used predictors of wind support, such as place attachment or community benefits, disappear or weaken under controls as predictors of support at smaller scales. Novel predictors of support inspired by climax thinking emerged as stronger at more local scales, including support for energy export beyond local needs and agreement that wind turbines provide a reminder of energy use. These results suggest new pathways for understanding support for wind development within the communities most directly affected.

摘要

虽然将电力生产转向可再生能源对于应对全球气候变化至关重要，但这种发展的成本往往由当地承担。本研究探讨了当受访者被要求考虑三个不同的地理尺度时，是什么导致了对风能发展的支持：总体、区域和他们家的视野。研究是在加拿大大西洋的 Chignecto 地区进行的，该地区是一个半农村地区，2012 年在该地区建造了一个著名的 15 涡轮风力发电场。一项随机的人口邮寄调查获得了 40% 的响应率。问题探讨了接触风力涡轮机；支持风能发展；放置附件；关于能量和利益分配的信念；和人口统计。虽然大多数支持预测因子在二元相关性中都很重要，许多常用的风支持预测因子，例如地方依附或社区利益，在控制下消失或减弱，作为较小规模的支持预测因子。受高潮思维启发的新型支持预测因素在更多地方范围内变得更加强大，包括对超出地方需求的能源出口的支持以及风力涡轮机提供能源使用提醒的共识。这些结果为了解在最直接受影响的社区内支持风能开发提供了新途径。包括支持超出当地需求的能源出口，以及同意风力涡轮机提供能源使用提醒。这些结果为了解在最直接受影响的社区内支持风能开发提供了新途径。包括支持超出当地需求的能源出口，以及同意风力涡轮机提供能源使用提醒。这些结果为了解在最直接受影响的社区内支持风能开发提供了新途径。