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A tale of three counties: Understanding wind development in the rural Midwestern United States

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  • Mulvaney, Kate K.
  • Woodson, Patrick
  • Prokopy, Linda Stalker

Abstract

Understanding the context in which local wind farm development has been accepted by the local community is important for meeting the United States' wind energy goals. To further this understanding in the rural Midwest, we investigated three counties in Indiana with varying levels of wind farm development using a mail survey, stakeholder interviews and a review of local newspaper articles and government documents. We found high levels of acceptance for wind energy in general and for local wind farms in all three counties despite the differences in actual development. Multiple statistical methods were employed to identify factors leading to support of wind turbines within the community, but support was so high that no individual factors were identified as statistically significant. The survey and interviews showed that reasons for support of wind energy include economic benefits to the local community, environmental benefits and the protection of the agricultural lifestyle and landscape. Reasons for opposition include concerns about setback distances, impacts on rural lifestyles, and impacts on other types of development. Despite overall community support, the support of the local county governments varied and appears to have greatly impacted wind farm development within their jurisdictions.

Suggested Citation

  • Mulvaney, Kate K. & Woodson, Patrick & Prokopy, Linda Stalker, 2013. "A tale of three counties: Understanding wind development in the rural Midwestern United States," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 322-330.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:56:y:2013:i:c:p:322-330
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2012.12.064
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    2. Haggerty, Julia H. & Haggerty, Mark & Rasker, Ray, 2014. "Uneven Local Benefits of Renewable Energy in the U.S. West: Property Tax Policy Effects," Western Economics Forum, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 13(01), pages 1-16.
    3. Lerner, Michael, 2022. "Local power: understanding the adoption and design of county wind energy regulation," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 112757, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    4. Groth, Theresa M. & Vogt, Christine A., 2014. "Rural wind farm development: Social, environmental and economic features important to local residents," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 1-8.
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    7. Hoen, Ben & Firestone, Jeremy & Rand, Joseph & Elliot, Debi & Hübner, Gundula & Pohl, Johannes & Wiser, Ryan & Lantz, Eric & Haac, T. Ryan & Kaliski, Ken, 2019. "Attitudes of U.S. Wind Turbine Neighbors: Analysis of a Nationwide Survey," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    8. John C. Pierce & Rachel M. Krause & Sarah L. Hofmeyer & Bonnie J. Johnson, 2021. "Explanations for Wind Turbine Installations: Local and Global Environmental Concerns in the Central Corridor of the United States?," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-11, September.
    9. Kumar, Indraneel & Tyner, Wallace E. & Sinha, Kumares C., 2016. "Input–output life cycle environmental assessment of greenhouse gas emissions from utility scale wind energy in the United States," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 294-301.
    10. Tabassum-Abbasi, & Premalatha, M. & Abbasi, Tasneem & Abbasi, S.A., 2014. "Wind energy: Increasing deployment, rising environmental concerns," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 270-288.
    11. Groth, Theresa M. & Vogt, Christine, 2014. "Residents' perceptions of wind turbines: An analysis of two townships in Michigan," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 251-260.
    12. Fast, Stewart & Mabee, Warren, 2015. "Place-making and trust-building: The influence of policy on host community responses to wind farms," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 27-37.
    13. Diógenes, Jamil Ramsi Farkat & Claro, João & Rodrigues, José Coelho, 2019. "Barriers to onshore wind farm implementation in Brazil," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 253-266.
    14. Nils May & Øivind A. Nilsen, 2019. "The Local Economic Impact of Wind Power Deployment," FinanzArchiv: Public Finance Analysis, Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, vol. 75(1), pages 56-92.
    15. Schumacher, Kim & Yang, Zhuoxiang, 2018. "The determinants of wind energy growth in the United States: Drivers and barriers to state-level development," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 1-13.
    16. Anna Dóra Sæþórsdóttir & C. Michael Hall, 2019. "Contested Development Paths and Rural communities: Sustainable Energy or Sustainable Tourism in Iceland?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(13), pages 1-27, July.
    17. Michael Lerner, 2022. "Local power: Understanding the adoption and design of county wind energy regulation," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 39(2), pages 120-142, March.
    18. Bogdan Klepacki & Barbara Kusto & Piotr Bórawski & Aneta Bełdycka-Bórawska & Konrad Michalski & Aleksandra Perkowska & Tomasz Rokicki, 2021. "Investments in Renewable Energy Sources in Basic Units of Local Government in Rural Areas," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-17, May.
    19. Shen, Shiran Victoria & Cain, Bruce E. & Hui, Iris, 2019. "Public receptivity in China towards wind energy generators: A survey experimental approach," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 619-627.
    20. Pontau, Patricia & Hou, Yi & Cai, Hua & Zhen, Yi & Jia, Xiaoping & Chiu, Anthony S.F. & Xu, Ming, 2015. "Assessing land-use impacts by clean vehicle systems," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 112-119.
    21. Duarte, Rosa & García-Riazuelo, Álvaro & Sáez, Luis Antonio & Sarasa, Cristina, 2022. "Economic and territorial integration of renewables in rural areas: Lessons from a long-term perspective," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    22. Stewart Fast, 2015. "Qualified, absolute, idealistic, impatient: dimensions of host community responses to wind energy projects," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 47(7), pages 1540-1557, July.

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