COMMUNITY ATTITUDES

TO WIND FARMS IN NSW

 Background
• AMR Interactive surveyed 2022 residents
& 300 businesses in May-June 2010
• Survey covered the 6 Renewable Energy
Precincts and 1 ‘control area’ in regional
NSW
• It is the most comprehensive survey of
community attitudes to wind farms and
renewable energy undertaken in NSW
 Solar power and wind energy have the
highest level of community acceptance
Energy source Renewable Energy Regional Control
Precincts (n=1729) Area (n=293)
Solar 95% 96%

Wind 81% 81%

Water or 75% 79%

hydroelectric
Gas 69% 74%

Conventional coal 33% 27%

Nuclear 24% 30%

 High community support for wind farms

• Very strong support for Total Support

wind in NSW & local
area In NSW 85

• Majority support at 1-
In local region 80
2km from residence –
albeit lower (reflecting
concerns about noise, 10 km from residence 79

property values &

visuals) 1-2 km from residence 60

• 57% of farmers said

they would consider 0 20 40 60
% of residents
80 100

hosting wind turbines

on their land
 Support generally varies little between regions –
but lower in Hunter & New England Tablelands

SUPPORT (%)
PRECINCT NSW 10km 1-2km
New England Tablelands 82 76 54
Upper Hunter 79 74 47
Central Tablelands 88 82 63
NSW/ACT Border Region 89 84 61
South Coast 84 77 63
Cooma-Monaro 84 79 60

• Support highest in area with most wind farms (NSW-ACT border)

• Younger residents (18-29 years) more supportive than older
residents (65+ years)
 Why do people support wind farms 1-2km
from residence?
Benefit Support (n=1053) Oppose (n=589)
% %
Reduces Pollution (clean 56 36
power/ greenhouse gas)
Cost effective/ cheaper 28 18
energy/ bills
Benefits local economy and 41 29
community
Increases employment 34 24
opportunities
None/nothing 4 19

About two thirds (68%) residents opposing wind farms 1-2 kilometres
from their residence still identified a benefit of wind farms to the region
 What concerns does the community have about
wind farms?
Concern Support Oppose
(N=1053) (n=589) %
%
Noise concerns 17 40
Impact on Landscape (including 11 31
aesthetic/agricultural impact)
Concern over power 5 14
generation/effectiveness
Impact on environment 6 11
(vegetation/wildlife/farm animals)
No concerns 44 13

• Only 3% of those opposed nominated a concern about health impacts

• Concern regarding noise impacts was the only key driver of attitude in
all six Precincts
NSW has one of the most stringent noise
standards in the world
• You can hold a normal
conversation at the base of a
running wind turbine without
having to raise your voice

• NSW noise standard is tougher

than other states (40 dBA) and
internationally (often 45 dBA)

• National Health and Medical

Research Centre (July 2010)
issued statement ‘there is no
published scientific evidence to
positively link wind turbines with
adverse health effects’
 Implications
• There are vocal opponents of wind farms but they are a minority –
there is strong majority support amongst community for wind farms
in NSW & locally

• Majority support 1-2km from residence but support lower reflecting

concerns about noise, visual impacts, effectiveness of wind & local
environmental impacts

• NSW has systems in place to address key concerns (noise,

environmental standards)

• The majority of residents said they do not have adequate

information on wind farms – community understanding about wind
energy is overall still quite low
 Next Steps
• Survey to be released and used in conjunction with
release of information resources & workshops:

Survey powerful source of legitimacy for wind sector & program
activities (used in verbal briefings to key stakeholders such as
NSW Farmers Association)

Workshops for landholders on hosting wind farms to be held in
Armidale, Blayney, Yass & Cooma – following successful pilot in
Upper Hunter which attracted 140 attendees

Brochures addressing key questions & concerns of community
on wind energy to be released with community survey

On-line greenhouse tool for industry & community just released –
very positive regional media coverage (10 interviews)

Consumer guide to small wind systems being finalised in
November