Experts versus the Public: Perceptions of Siting Wind Turbines and Performance Concerns

Neveen Hamza (), Ruben Paul Borg (), Liberato Camilleri and Charalampos Baniotopoulos
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Neveen Hamza: School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
Ruben Paul Borg: Faculty of the Built Environment Malta, University of Malta, Msida MSD 2080, Malta
Liberato Camilleri: Faculty of Science, University of Malta, Msida MSD 2080, Malta
Charalampos Baniotopoulos: School of Engineering, Birmingham University, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 20, 1-25

Abstract: Experiences of wind turbines (WT) shape public perception and acceptance of the technology, influencing government policy, deployment, and land-use policies of wind turbines. This paper attempts to find changes in public perceptions over the last three decades and differences between experts and the public over different land-use options. A semi-structured questionnaire that integrates a visual survey of 10 images of WT technology in different urban, landscape and seascape settings was presented to both groups. The perceptions of siting, proximity, landscape type, and maturity of urban wind turbines’ technology in renewable energy generation were contrasted. The results revealed that both the public and experts alike significantly preferred images of WT inclusion in seascape and landscape settings and responded negatively to images of WT as an addition to buildings in urban contexts. Images of wind turbines around transport settings were ranked in the second set of acceptances, after landscape settings, indicating that closer proximity to WT is acceptable, but for a short duration. The analysis also highlighted a preference by the public for aesthetically engaging WT, even if they resulted in lower energy yields, but were less accepted by the experts who based their judgment on technical performance.

Keywords: wind turbines; siting; expert-public perceptions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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