Local acceptance by people with unvoiced opinions living close to a wind farm: A case study from Japan

The local acceptance of wind energy projects has received significant attention because local opposition is a barrier to implementing a wind energy project. To decrease objections from local residents, previous studies identified factors that evoke negative attitudes. However, little research has focused on the acceptance of people who remain silent. Therefore, the situation in which there is no marked opposition has been regarded as a success for the project. This research focused on the acceptance of people who are not objecting to a wind farm in their backyard and clarifies the implications of the silent situation. One of the principal findings is that while most of the respondents accept the existing local wind farm, they have negative attitudes towards a new wind farm. This result means that the silent situation does not support further wind development. We conclude that the purpose of consensus building needs to be set to encouraging local residents to express their opinions instead of simply aiming for the absence of opposing opinions. Finally, we discuss a council model through a budgetary provision, eliciting opinions from people who remain silent, and adaptable management as the policy implications for sustainable wind development. •We examined the acceptance of people with unvoiced opinions toward a wind project.•The silent situation does not support further wind farm construction.•Two factors were identified to maintain a receptive attitude.•A council model and eliciting opinions from people who remain silent are essential.•Adaptable management would contribute to promote further wind project development.