Scoping and Framing Social Opposition to U.S. Wind Projects (Poster)

Historical barriers to wind power include cost and reliability. However, rapid growth has increased the footprint of wind power in the United States, and some parts of the country have begun to observe conflicts between local communities and wind energy development. Thus, while questions of economic viability and the ability of grid operators to effectively manage wind energy have become lesssignificant, community acceptance issues have emerged as a barrier to wind and associated transmission projects. Increasing community acceptance is likely to be a growing challenge as the wind industry seeks electricity sector penetration levels approaching 20%.