Wind industry should avoid branding opponents "Nimbys"

The idea that residents only object to renewable power facilities such as wind turbines as a result of a "Not In My Back Yard" (Nimby) attitude is outdated, with little evidence to support the belief, according to new research.

A report from researchers at six UK universities, titled Beyond Nimbyism, claimed there was very little evidence to back the idea that most people are broadly in favour of renewable energy until they discover that a facility is being built in or near their community.

Just two per cent, or 61 of the 3,251 individuals interviewed as part of the survey, were deemed to hold a view which could be characterised as Nimby, the report stated. For their purposes, the researchers classified Nimby behaviour as "being strongly in favour of renewable energy generally, but strongly against a proposed project."

"We found no significant relationship between project support and personal characteristics commonly assumed to characterise opponents, including length of residence in the area, perceived proximity of home to project site, and age," the report stated.

Rather than simply writing off residents who oppose their projects as Nimbys, renewable energy specialists and government should work harder at trying to engage with local communities, the researchers suggested. "We conclude that rather than trying to dismiss and undermine legitimate questioning and criticism of particular renewable energy projects, industry and policy makers should instead focus on protecting and nurturing social consent for what is a key part of a low-carbon future," the report concluded.

However, the researchers admitted that there was no magic answer when it comes to getting local residents onside as every project is different. "No simple formula will achieve this, as each place and context has distinct characteristics, but our findings show the importance of factors such as enhanced meaningful engagement by developers; trust; and fair planning procedures," the research stated.

But despite the researchers claims that it does not exist, Nimbyism has been cited by commentators, renewable specialists and government as hampering moves to a renewable energy future for the UK.

Earlier this week, wind turbine maker Vestas alluded to Nimbyism contributing to its decision to close a facility on the Isle of Wight – a move which prompted a sit-in by aggrieved workers. The company said it had intended to convert the factory to produce 44 million blades for its V90 turbine, which would be more suitable for the UK market, but that the plans had been scuppered by a lack of demand from UK wind projects, primarily caused by the difficulty many wind developers are having securing planning permission for new sites.

"Despite the UK government's strong commitment to renewable energy – which was reconfirmed on 15 July 2009 by its Low-Carbon Transition Plan – the local planning process for the construction of new onshore wind power plants in the UK remains an obstacle to the development of a more favourable market for onshore wind power," the company said. "Since offshore wind power is still on a project basis, a large and stable market for onshore wind power is vital to secure a stable production flow."

To try to encourage residents to accept renewable facilities more readily, the Local Government Association released a report earlier this month calling for compensation for affected communities.

The report From Kyoto to Kettering, Copenhagen to Croydon – local government’s manifesto for building low-carbon communities, includes a proposal to compensate residents in areas where new wind turbines are built. Residents in these areas would receive discounts on their energy bills to make up for any inconvenience caused by having the facilities located in their area.

"Renewable energy generation in their area will provide significant financial benefits for the generator but none for the local community, often leading to local opposition for developments such as wind farms," the report stated. "A community tariff should be established for local residents to benefit from local wind energy generation."