Despite having lived with wind power for a long time, Germans still overwhelmingly support it. Nevertheless, even in our neighboring countries, developers must continue to explain their projects, be transparent, and work with local communities to develop them.
Vincent Boulanger, an editor at *Journal de l’Eolien*, the leading quarterly publication for French wind energy professionals, interviewed Anouk Darcet Felgen about the factors influencing the acceptance of wind farms in France:
“It would be beneficial for government authorities to inform the public at the national level about the benefits of wind power for the environment, regional development, and economic benefits. This would help educate the general public about the actual impacts of a project and counter the misinformation widely spread by opponents.”
[…]
“We have noticed that park projects are much more readily accepted when the companies behind them have a local presence—for example, through offices established at the regional level. This gives them visibility and helps them gain the trust of local stakeholders.”
*Excerpt from the special report on acceptability published in the Journal de l’éolien, No. 33-2019, pages 20–23.