Phys.org
A new study from Western University shows the winds of change may be blowing when it comes to operating large-scale turbines in rural Ontario. In “A case-control study of support/opposition to wind turbines: Perceptions of health risk, economic benefits, and community conflict,” published recently by Energy Policy, Jamie Baxter from Western’s Department of Geography and his team explore the conundrum that while a relatively strong majority of rural Ontarians actually living with turbines in their farming communities (69 per cent) support them, the level of positive feedback in the control community was surprisingly low (25 per cent).
Baxter concludes that the results from the control group signal that rural Ontario may, in the future, want to close their doors for business where turbines are concerned and that a more radical retooling may be needed for sustainable turbine policy.
The findings also contradict the NIMBY (Not in My Backyard) hypothesis…