ASU Energy Center

Public Attitudes Toward Wind Energy in Western

North CarolinaA Presentation to the 2002 NC Wind Summit

December 9, 2002

Appalachian State University

Boone NC

Dennis O. Grady

Purpose of Survey

• Assess the attitudes of citizens in western North Carolina on energy issues

• Determine attitudes of citizens on developing wind energy in the Appalachian Mountains

• Identify barriers people perceive in developing wind energy in the NC mountains

Sampling Procedures

Population: • All residential telephone numbers in 24 western North Carolina

Counties with potential class 3-5 wind – approximately 1 million 

Data Source:• InfoUSA Telephone database

 

Sample: • Drawn proportionately across all 24 counties – approximately 2,300

residential telephone numbers drawn

Respondents: • 400 completed telephone surveys, Mid-September-October, 2002

95% confidence level, +/- 4% margin of error

Profile of Respondents

• Average Age = 51• Average NC

Residency = 30 years

• 53% Female• 85% Registered NC

Voters• 62% with Less

Than College Degree

• 82% Home Owners• 49% with Family

Incomes Less Than $40,000

• 94% Year Round Residents

• 14% Had Heard of Recent TVA Effort

• 29% Had Seen a Utility Scale Turbine Operate

Interest in Energy Issues

Level of InterestNone Some Great

 

Fossil Fuel Pollution 18.5% 48.0% 33.5%

Cost of electricity 3.8 23.8 72.5

Reliability of electricity 7.6 23.5 69.0

Importation of foreign oil 12.8 32.5 54.8

Nuclear Safety/fuel disposal 11.3 24.3 64.5

Attitudes Toward Fuels

• Should we be getting more, the same, or less of our future electricity from:– Coal– Nuclear – Natural gas– Hydroelectric– Solar– Wind

Comparison of Fuel Sources

• Percentage wanting more electricity from– Solar 85.3%– Wind 75.4– Hydroelectric 72.8– Natural Gas 50.5– Nuclear 32.5– Coal 22.4

Desirability of CoalAmount of future electricity from coal

Don't knowMoreSameLess

Pe

rce

nt

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

12

23

13

53

Desirability of Nuclear PowerAmount of future electricity from nuclear

Don't knowMoreSameLess

Pe

rce

nt

40

30

20

10

0

14

33

20

34

Desirability of HydroAmount of future electricity from hydroelectric

Don't knowMoreSameLess

Pe

rce

nt

80

60

40

20

0

9

73

12

6

Desirability of Natural Gas Amount of future electricity from natural gas

Don't knowMoreSameLess

Pe

rce

nt

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

11

51

23

16

Desirability of SolarAmount of future electricity from solar

Don't knowMoreSameLess

Pe

rce

nt

100

80

60

40

20

0

85

6

Desirability of WindAmount of future electricity from wind

Don't knowMoreSameLess

Pe

rce

nt

80

60

40

20

0

10

75

96

Turbine Placement Issues

• Ridge tops• National forests• Near one’s home• Clustered• With preexisting towers• On personal property for personal

use

Turbines on Ridge Tops63.5% Approval

Placing turbines on ridge tops should be

prohibited or not prohibited

Don't knowNot prohibitedYes, prohibited

Pe

rce

nt

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

17

64

20

Turbines on National Forests50.5% Approval

Placing turbines on national forests should

be prohibited or not prohibited

Don't knowNot prohibitedYes, prohibited

Pe

rce

nt

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

14

51

36

Turbines Near Your Home66% Approval

Would you approve of wind turbines

near your home

Don't know

No, I w ould not appr

Yes, I w ould approve

Pe

rce

nt

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

13

22

66

Clustered Turbines on Ridges57.4% Approval

Would you approve of wind turbines on ridge tops

if they are clustered

Don't know

No, I w ould not appr

Yes, I w ould approve

Pe

rce

nt

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

15

28

57

Turbines on Cluttered Ridges74.5% Approval

Would you approve of wind turbines if there were

already other towers on ridge

Don't knowNo, not approveYes, I w ould approve

Pe

rce

nt

80

60

40

20

0

10

16

75

Turbines for Personal Use79% Approval

Should a person be prohibited from erecting

a single turbine on own land

No opinionDependsNOYES

Pe

rce

nt

100

80

60

40

20

09

79

9

Awareness and Turbine Placement

24 23.8% 60 59.4% 17 16.8%

36 17.3% 139 66.8% 33 15.9%

13 19.1% 40 58.8% 15 22.1%

5 22.7% 15 68.2% 2 9.1%

Follow VeryClosely

Sometimes Follow

Rarely Follow

Never Follow

Count Row %

Yes, prohibited

Count Row %

Not prohibited

Count Row %

Don't know

Placing turbines on ridge tops should be prohibited or not

Experience and Turbine Placement

27 22.9% 69 58.5% 22 18.6%

51 18.1% 185 65.6% 46 16.3%

Yes

No

Count Row %

Yes, prohibited

Count Row %

Not prohibited

Count Row %

Don't know

Placing turbines on ridge tops should be prohibited or not

Income and Turbine Placement

10 17.5% 36 63.2% 11 19.3%

16 14.5% 83 75.5% 11 10.0%

20 24.1% 47 56.6% 16 19.3%

10 20.8% 29 60.4% 9 18.8%

8 18.2% 28 63.6% 8 18.2%

Under$20,000

$20,000 to$40,000

$41,000 to$60,000

$61,000 to$80,000

Over $80,000

Count Row %

Yes, prohibited

Count Row %

Not prohibited

Count Row %

Don't know

Placing turbines on ridge tops should be prohibited or not

Ridge Top Placement by Education

6 20.7% 19 65.5% 4 13.8%

20 20.2% 60 60.6% 19 19.2%

21 17.6% 83 69.7% 15 12.6%

21 20.6% 60 58.8% 21 20.6%

2 22.2% 5 55.6% 2 22.2%

8 19.5% 26 63.4% 7 17.1%

Less than highschool

High school diploma

Some college

College degree

Some graduate work

Graduate degree

What isyourhighestlevel ofeducation

Count Row %

Yes, prohibited

Count Row %

Not prohibited

Count Row %

Don't know

Placing turbines on ridge tops should be prohibited or not

Gender and Turbine Placement

44 23.5% 120 64.2% 23 12.3%

34 16.0% 133 62.7% 45 21.2%

Male

Female

Count Row %

Yes, prohibited

Count Row %

Not prohibited

Count Row %

Don't know

Placing turbines on ridge tops should be prohibited or not

Problems With TurbinesProblem With Turbines

PROBLEM1

Fre

qu

en

cy

80

60

40

20

0

1714

21

1116

11

74

Summary

• Western North Carolinians are supportive of developing a renewable energy industry in the Appalachian Mountains

• By a margin of 2 to 1, western North Carolinians do not think that ridge top placement of turbines should be prohibited.

• By a margin of 3 to 1, western North Carolinians believe that placing a turbine with other existing towers should be allowed.

• Attitudes toward turbine placement is unaffected by income, education, previous experience with utility scale turbines, or knowledge of energy issues.

• The greatest barrier to developing a wind industry in the mountains is aesthetic – especially how it could affect tourism and property values near the turbines.

Further Information

• A report on the survey results may be obtained by contacting

• Dr. Dennis Grady, Department of Political Science, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC 28608, or

• Gradydo@appstate.edu, or

• www.wind.appstate.edu where the report is posted.