CSIRO Issues Report: Acceptance of Rural Wind Farms in Australia: A Snapshot. (January 18, 2012)

CSIRO's Energy Transformed Flagship has released an 8-page report documenting the degree of acceptance of wind farms by the "rural community" -- Summary Acceptance of rural wind farms in Australia: a snapshot.

The authors -- Nina Hall, Peta Ashworth and Hylton Shaw state: Despite the prevalence of popular media articles, there is minimal academic examination of this situation. This report provides new research that analyses community acceptance of Australian wind farms from a variety of stakeholder perspectives.
    Ongoing CSIRO research that engages with the wind industry will contribute further understanding and knowledge to the possibilities and workability of an SLO [Social Licence to Operate] for wind farms in Australia."

The researchers ascertained the attitudes to nine wind farms in various stages of development in NSW, Victoria and South Australia and concluded that there was considerable support ''from rural residents who do not seek media attention or political engagement to express their views''

They list four key findings:

1. There is stronger community support for the development of wind farms than might be otherwise assumed from media coverage.

2. The actual and perceived local costs and benefits of wind farms are strongly influenced by the design, implementation, and community engagement processes.

3. Existing regulatory approaches provide an appropriate framework for negotiating wind farm developments, but there is scope for improving outcomes.

4. The emerging notion of a ‘Social Licence to Operate’ provides a useful framework for wind farm developers to engage local communities in ways that could enhance transparency and local support, and complement formal regulatory processes.

And expand on the summary using a three colour table using a traffic light metaphor:

CSIRO's deputy director of Energy Technology, Jim Smitham, one of the reviewers of the report told The Sydney Morning Herald: "You find more media stories supporting the case against wind farms than those for it, whereas, going into the field and doing interviews at community level, they have different reasons but many of them support the wind farm; it just isn't as apparent as the people who are able to find a short sharp reason to reject it.''

Note added January 19, 2012: See also 2011 Community Polling Results: Attitudes to wind energy in Victoria, NSW and South Australia.