A new Novus survey in Sweden shows that 9 out of 10 people living near wind farms are satisfied with their neighbourhood. For most residents, the experience of living near turbines remains unchanged, even after new investments have been launched.

Public debate on wind energy often focuses on concerns about the quality of life near turbines. However, the results of a new analysis conducted by the Novus Institute on behalf of Green Power Sweden paint a different picture: 92 per cent of people living in Sweden within a 3 km radius of wind farms say they are satisfied with where they live – a result comparable to the general population (91 per cent).

‘The study shows that living near wind farms rarely involves negative changes. Eight out of ten residents say that their feelings about where they live have remained unchanged after the turbines were built,’ comments Ylva Tengblad, responsible for sustainable development at Green Power Sweden.

Survey results in numbers

  • 92% of residents living near turbines rate their place of residence positively (91% of the entire population).
  • 79% of respondents say that the quality of their environment has not changed since the construction of wind farms.
  • Approximately 2 in 10 residents believe that the situation has deteriorated.
  • 67% do not perceive any negative impact from noise, 65% do not experience any problems with the visibility of the turbines, and 70% do not report any problems with shadows or reflections.

Government plans to support local communities

In autumn 2024, the Swedish government announced new measures to increase acceptance of wind energy. These include transferring annual funds to municipalities equal to the value of the tax on wind power plants and introducing a mechanism for sharing revenues with residents.

Green Power Sweden supports the government’s approach. ‘We agree that those living closest to wind farms should receive the highest compensation,’ emphasises Ylva Tengblad.

Research methodology

The survey was conducted by Novus between 9 and 23 May 2024 on a representative sample of 1,126 people living in Sweden within a 3 km radius of wind turbines built between 2000 and 2023. The aim of the project was both to analyse attitudes towards wind power and to test a new method of sample selection based on geographical location.

Source: Green Power Sweden