ovgu: schweizer-ries, zoellner & wemheuer european wind energy conference mailand, 10.05.2007...

OvGU: Schweizer-Ries, Zoellner & WemheuerEuropean Wind Energy Conference Mailand, 10.05.2007

European Wind Energy Conference

Mailand 7-10 May 2007 “Session: Winning hearts and

minds“

Public Acceptance of Wind Energy

Otto-von-Guericke-University MagdeburgProf. Dr. Petra Schweizer-Ries

Juniorprofessor for Environmental Psychology


Public acceptance of renewable energy systems and socio-scientific questions

Research project promoted by the Federal Ministry for

the Environment, Nature Conversation and Nuclear

Safety (BMU) concerning social issues of power generation by• Wind energy utilisation (On-Shore)• PV solar energy utilisation (ground-installed

systems)• Biomass utilisation


Research aims

• Detailed understanding of actual degrees of acceptance and their determinants

• Systematisation of relevant influence factors to the formation process of public acceptance

• Regarding possible differences between different regions in perception and assessment

• Developing a standardised measurement instrument

• Outlining of recommendations of possible conflict solution strategies


Method• Multi-methodological approach

• Quantitative polls (standardised Questionnaires)

• Qualitative interviews (expert interviews, process analysis)

• „Action research“


(Dethloff, 2004)Theoretical Acceptance Model

Tolerance

Indifference

Adoption

Ambivalence

RejectionReactance,Resistance

negative appraisal

positive appraisal

Degree of activity

A c c e p t a n c e

N o n - A c c e p t a n c e


Acceptance of RES: different variables

Behaviour(conativ)

Need for Nature

Acceptance ofrenewable energies

Reliability

Economic Aspects

Risk Evaluation

Interest

Landscape Evaluation(affective)

Influence of Media

Socio-economic

data

Justice(procedural & distributive)

Visual contact

Environmental Consciousness

Landscape Evaluation(cognitive)

Perception of political measures

Location characteristics

Involvement

Energy Consciousne

ss


Example Items

• In general, I support Wind energy plants (WEP).

• It is very important for me to be informed early when WEP are planned to be built in my community.

• I feel disturbed by the view if there is a WEP near my house.

• WEP fit in well in the characteristic landscape.

• WEP as part of the landscape do not attract my attention.


Example Sample (latest poll)

• Date of data collection: December 06 – January 07• N = 186• 4 Villages

– MOR: n = 95 (51,1%)– WEN: n = 24 (12,9%)– HEZ: n = 26 (14,0%)– HAG: n = 33 (17,7%)– No statement: n = 8 (4,3%)

female: 79 (42,5%), male: 101 (54,3%)No statement: 6 (3,2%)


Region in Germany

2 km

5 km

2

1

34

1 = Mor2 = Hez (direct view on wind power stations)3 = Wen (same distance like Hez but no (only one) view on wind power stations)4 = Hag (further away, strong community)


Descriptive Statistics

Scale M SD N

Acceptance 2,27 1,26 175

Renewable Energy

1,61 ,78 170

Economy 3,22 ,94 80

Risk Evaluation 3,11 1,10 84

Reliability 2,50 1,21 160

Perceived Justice 3,24 ,79 78

Participation Interest

2,53 ,82 156

Landscape 3,59 ,90 163

Impact on Affect 3,34 1,09 1621 Completely correct........ …………5 Completely incorrect


Scale MOR

WEN HEZ HAG ???

Acceptance 2,32 1,68 2,61 2,17 2,50

Renewable Energy

1,63 1,50 1,61 1,64 1,67

Economy 3,19 2,77 3,53 3,23 3,12

Risk Evaluation 3,15 3,93 2,69 3,00 2,37

Reliability 2,50 2,35 2,36 2,57 3,04

Perceived Justice 3,13 2,86 3,90 3,30 2,80

Particip. Interest 2,59 2,28 2,14 2,95 2,08

Landscape 3,64 3,26 3,91 3,36 3,66

Impact on Affect 3,37 3,74 2,80 3,54 2,92

Scale-Means of the villages


Correlations

Scale Acceptance N

Renewable Energy .62** 161

Economy .82** 76

Risk Evaluation -.66** 79

Reliability .70** 153

Perceived Justice .54** 73

Participation Interest .11 151

Landscape .71** 156

Impact on Affect -.83** 154

**. Correlation is on the level of .01 (two-tailed) significant.


Acceptance

Part. Interest

Affect

RiskEvaluation

Economy

Landscape

Renewable Energy

PerceivedJustice

Chi-Square: 12.65Df: 9P-value: 0.17RMSEA: 0.04RMR: 0.02GFI: 0.98AGFI: 0.93PGFI: 0.25 .46 -.49

.43

-.31

-.52

-.39

.25

.71

-.32

-.48

-.28

-.10


Conclusion

• Voluntary resident-involvement beyond legal requirements

• Benefit for the Regions in economic and cultural values + communication about it!

• Support the identification process in the “affected regions” to win hearts and minds!


contact

Prof. Dr. Petra Schweizer-RiesJuniorprofessor for Environmental PsychologyOtto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg

Email: [email protected]

http://www.uni-magdeburg.de/upsy

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