Public Attitudes Towards Proposed Wind Farms:

A cross country comparison

Dr. Sandy BondSenior Lecturer

Curtin University of Technology

Charmaine Watts, Founder of Renewable Energy Feed-in Tariff NZ

(REFIT-NZ)

Format for this Session

The renewable energy story Literature review Research objectives Methodology & data Results & conclusion

Introduction The government is supporting the development

of renewable energy technology, such as wind power, in its efforts to reduce greenhouse gases in line with the Kyoto agreement In NZ: 90% of electricity to be from renewable

resources by 2025 Vs Australia: 20% by 2020 This has generated a surge of interest in

renewable energy, particularly wind power In Australia, in 2008 total operating capacity

was 1125 MW on 42 wind farms NZ has 322 MW on 8 wind farms

Salmon Beach WF: 1st in 1987

22m tower, 8m bladesAlbany WF: 2001

65m tower, 35m blades

Towers frequently exceed 100m in height = visible for long distances

Introduction As wind development accelerates to meet

renewable energy targets, easing siting and permitting barriers will be crucial

Among the barriers are claims that wind farms cause: Aesthetics issues Reduced property values Noise Loss of bird (& bat) life Inefficiency: “WFs are notoriously inefficient, rarely

achieving even half their rated capacities, due to fluctuating winds”

Noise Measurement

The issue of turbine noise commonly related to low frequency & infrasound noise that are poorly measured

Most noise standards are weighted to the dB (A) scale that discriminates against low frequency sounds

dB(A) scale is not an accurate indicator of the disturbing effects of such noise

Low Frequency Noise

The problem is that wind turbines generate far more low frequency noise than high frequency noise

Lower frequency noise is more efficiently transmitted & can be heard over greater distances than higher frequency noise

Humans perceive low frequency noise as louder & more annoying than higher frequency noises with equal pressure levels

Nina Pierpont - An MD "Wind Turbine Syndrome," a cluster of stress-related physiological effects of turbine noise (1.5-3 MW)

Symptoms: sleep disturbance, headache, tinnitus, dizziness, nausea, visual blurring, panic associated with sensations of internal pulsation.

She recommends a 2km buffer between turbines & homes

Wind Turbine Syndrome

Planning Policy Developers intending to build a wind farm in

NZ & AU must apply for planning/resource consent from the relevant council

In both countries, a proposal may be subject to an assessment of environmental effects, particularly where it would have a significant effect on the environment, & public submissions are usually required

Planning Policy: NZ Interestingly, in NZ, the RMA has been amended

as part of Parliament’s climate change measures to aid the planning process

This amendment, together with various climate-change policies, were significant in the judicial approval of the Awhitu wind farm

The Court determined that the wind farm would have significant adverse effect on the natural landscape of the coastal environment but that it was important to balance this with the national benefits

Planning Policy: NZ & UK Similar to NZ & AU, wind power is crucial to the

UK government’s attempts to meet an EU target of producing 20% of all energy from renewables by 2020

Yet according to Stratton (2009) plans to build some 4,000 onshore wind turbines are being opposed by more than 200 anti-wind farm groups

The NZ outcome is similar to what may occur in the UK with the passage of the Planning Act 2008, which will give government powers to intervene in unsuccessful attempts to achieve planning consent to build wind farms

Planning Guidelines: WA

Town Planning: WA Planning Commission Wind farm developments to include sufficient

setbacks to avoid adverse noise impacts on the amenity of the community

As a guide, the distance to be 1km Wind farm developments should be designed

to ensure that noise generated will not exceed 5dB(A) above the background sound level

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Literature Review Summary: Property Value Impacts

Sales analysis results: There is ongoing controversy about the impact

of wind farms on property values with no one study providing conclusive evidence of any impact

Most tested for proximity impacts None of the studies, except Hoen (2006),

visited homes Sample size is problematic in many of the

studies Statistical analysis is sometimes not rigorous

Literature Review Summary: Public Surveys - NZ

Two studies of public opinion to wind energy & the existing Tararua wind farm

60% of respondents expressed some level of support for building a wind farm in their local area

The main reason cited for opposing such development was the perceived visual & auditory impact (Berg 2003)

Literature Review Summary: Public Surveys - NZ

Phipps (2007) studied the visual & noise effects experienced by residents living within a 3km ring of wind farms

A majority (84%) of the households reported they could see turbines from their home

Of these, 80% considered the turbines intrusive Wind turbine noise disturbed the sleep of 42% of

respondents

Literature Review Summary: Public Surveys - WA

Results: Albany & Esperance, WA 2008 For 96.2% the proximity of the wind farm was

not a concern Reasons: the wind farm is not close to

residential areas so they cannot see or hear it; in favour of renewable energy

Literature Review Summary: Public Surveys - WA

The majority of respondents are very supportive of the wind farm: Provision of renewable, clean energy Aesthetically pleasing (more than expected) Far enough away from homes Tourism & educational benefits

However, some respondents think of the wind farm in negative terms: Too noisy Ruining coastal landscape Qs about accuracy of information provided re the

capacity of the WF & how efficient it is

Literature Review Summary

In summarising various public surveys, Boffa Miskell (2003) note: People in favour of renewable energy & wind

power are more positive about turbines & wind farms in the area;

The ‘NIMBY’ syndrome has the strongest effect in areas where there is no or very little knowledge about wind power;

Public involvement and consultation has a positive effect on people’s attitudes and level of acceptance.

Research Objectives

Aims: To determine if there is any substance to

claims against wind farm developments by surveying community attitudes towards these

The results can be used to: Inform local government and power

companies to help increase the success rate of planning applications & thus meet renewable energy targets

Research Methodology

Method: A case study approach was used:An opinion survey was delivered to residents in windy towns in W.A. & NZ

Denmark, WA (n = 500, returned 46%) Awhitu, NZ (n = 500, returned 45%)

Q1: Visited a wind farm with more than 1 turbine: NZ: Only 24% had visited a WF AU: 88% had visited a WF

Case Study Areas

Esperance

Albany

Denmark

Case Study Areas: Awhitu

The wind farm proposed location was on a privately owned farm, approx. 6km west of the township of Waiuku

The proposed 19 wind turbine structures had a max. overall height (including the rotor) of 90m from the base

The turbines have a nominal capacity of between 600 - 1500 kW each = total installed capacity between 15 to 25 MW.

Case Study: Awhitu Individuals opposing the wind farm made

submissions on environmental effects: cultural, bird kill, erosion, shadow flicker, traffic, decommissioning, health, noise, etc

One key element of the opposing submissions was the claim that a significant majority of the local population opposed the construction of the wind farm

As a consequence of these opposing submissions, the application was declined in September 2004 (subsequently appealed)

Case Study Areas: Denmark Located 421 km (262 miles) south of Perth,

the capital of WA Denmark’s population = approx. 5,000 The proposed farm will be the first of its kind

in Australia: a community-scaled embedded generation project owned & operated by the Denmark community through an incorporated association

The wind farm is to be located 10km south of the Denmark town-site

2 x 800 kW wind-turbine generators, supplying 60% of Denmark’s annual electricity needs

Case Study Areas: Denmark Environmental approval gained in 2005 However, in April 2009 the council voted 5-7

against the excision of the 53ha of A-class reserve land on Wilson Head

“in order to preserve the amenity and landscape values”

While the council & community supported a wind farm, debate focused on the lack of public support for the Wilson Head site

The South Coast Landscape Guardians have been particularly vocal on the issue, claiming that siting the wind turbines at Wilson Head blights pristine land

Results: Feelings about Proposal

Reasons: Benefits in producing “clean”, sustainable, renewable

energy; provides a tourist attraction AU: Concerns about damage to the coastal

vegetation & coastline; cause “visual pollution”.

Table 1 Feelings about proposal for the development of a wind farm

Feelings Frequency % NZ Frequency % AU Strongly opposed 10 15 Moderately/weakly opposed

4 6

Does not bother me

17 6

Moderately/ weakly in favour

14 11

Strongly in favour 56 64

Results: NZ Q - visual

The figures in brackets show responses from those who had visited a wind farm Vs those who had not

Thus, those who had visited a WF were more in favour than those who had no experience with WFs

Table 2 Attitudes to a wind farm being built under different auditory and visual scenarios

Feelings

Cannot see or hear turbines form your

property (as %)

Cannot hear but can see turbines in the distance from your property (as

%)

Cannot hear but can see as an

obvious feature turbines from your

property (as %) Strongly opposed 8 10 12 Weakly opposed 3 3 7 Neutral 17 17 18 Weakly in favour 10 13 17 Strongly in favour 62 (88/68) 56 45 (76/57)

Results: NZ Q - Noise A report asserted that the anticipated noise from the

proposed Awhitu wind farm would be negligible However, nearly a quarter of respondents considered

noise pollution to be a problem

Results: AU Q – Noise/View While specific Q’s relating to visibility & noise were not included,

Q’s were asked relating to proximity to the proposed wind farm (a proxy for how easily a wind farm might be seen & heard)

For the majority of them (80%) the proximity of the proposed wind farm was not a concern to them – as it is not close to where they live (2-5km away) & they would not see it

Results: AU - Price affects

Table 3 Affect on property price/rent Price affects

Frequency %

Substantially more for this property 1.0 A little more for this property 4.4 A little less for this property 17.2 Substantially less for this property 7.1 It would not influence the price 70.4 As % of price/rental: 20% higher or more 2.6 10% to 19% more 6.0 1% to 9% more 17.9 1% to 9% less 37.6 10% to 19% less 25.6

20% or a greater reduction 10.3

Results: Price effectsPrice effects WF<3km

% 3-5km

%

Substantially more for this property

0.5

A little more for this property 5.7

A little less for this property 16.3

Substantially less for this property

11.5

It would not influence the price

66 (n=138)

65 (n=15)

As % of price/rental: (n = 75) (n = 6)

20% higher or more 1.3 17

10% to 19% more 6.7 0

1% to 9% more 17.3 17

1% to 9% less 37.3 50

10% to 19% less 25.3 17

20% or a greater reduction 12 0

Table 4 Advantages of wind farms

Advantages:

% Agree NZ(AU)

Environmental friendliness/non-polluting 76 (84) Low cost energy source 65 (61) Renewable resource 82 (92) Employment opportunities 39 (31)

Results: Advantages

Low energy source: AU: Disappointed did not cost less (i.e. sold as efficient energy)

Employment: AU: Usually during construction only; maybe more jobs with more tourism (AU)

Results: ConcernsTable 5 Concerns about Wind Farms

Concern:

Aesthetics

Noise

Impact on wildlife

Australian Responses – frequency % Don't worry very much

67 69 53

Worry somewhat 15 26 36 Worry a lot 18 5 11

New Zealand Responses – frequency % No 51 43 56 Unsure 15 26 18 Yes 24 21 15 No response 10 10 11

It appears that the AU respondents were far more concerned about the potential harmful impact on wildlife than NZ respondents (in NZ 33% said yes or unsure; in AU 47% were worried somewhat to a lot)

Summary Results: Awhitu, NZ & Denmark, WA

Over two-thirds of residents (70% NZ, 74% AU) supported a wind farm being built

Only 13% NZ (but 21%AU) were against Perceived main advantages:

renewable resource (83%NZ, 94% AU), environmental friendliness (76%NZ, 87%AU)

Perceived main disadvantages: Visual unsightliness (24%NZ, 33%AU) Noise pollution (21%NZ, 31%AU)

Results: AU – Favour WF based on Distance

Response: Frequency %

I would favour it 8

I would favour if: within 1km

48

I would favour if: Between 1 - 3km away

61

I would favour if: More than 3km away

86

I would favour if :more than (self nominated distance in km) away

1km (34%); 2km (9%); 3km (25%); 5km (13%); 10km (9%); 50km (2.5%)

The reasons given for the responses include: visual & noise pollution; doubts that that wind is as effective as claimed; and would depend on the size of the wind turbines, the access routes to them, topography, etc.

Summary Denmark & Awhitu

Overall, the results were similar between the two countries

Contrary to the assertions of several lobby groups, the majority of local residents support the construction of a wind farm

ConclusionDenmark & Awhitu

However, in the AU study, the community had specific concerns: proponents behaviour toward the community the lack of transparency about the process & in

particular, the site selection, the accuracy of the information provided

In NZ, despite the application being declined due to opposing submissions, the decision was appealed & judicial approval was given based on the amended RMA (significant adverse effects were balanced with the national benefits)