Is Objection to Wind Energy Justified?

Wind power has been used by humans for over 7000 years. The first known example of wind power use is most likely the utilization of sailboats used by Phoenicians and Egyptians. Windmills have been used on a small scale for many centuries primarily for the purpose of milling grains and pumping water. The use of wind turbines to produce large amounts of electricity has occurred in recent times. The most powerful wind turbine today is an 8-MW turbine for offshore use. According to the U.S Energy Information Administration (EIA), as of March 2017, wind and solar power were contributing about 10% of the electricity generated in the United States. Resistance to change is a part of human nature and, as expected, has prompted some individuals and groups to oppose the development of wind power in their communities. The “Not In My Back Yard” (NIMBY) phenomenon is well known and has been cited as the force against many new developments in numerous communities around the world. This paper reports the results of a study investigating common reasons cited for objections to wind power installations. Under some circumstances, some of the claims against wind power may be justifiable while in other cases the objections appear to be completely baseless.