Environmental activism and vertical-axis wind turbine preferences in California

Wind energy is widely recognized as a key element of the worldwide effort to limit greenhouse gas emissions. As compared with the general population, environmental activists have a much higher level of knowledge, interest, and capacity to affect the final outcome of a proposed wind turbine facility. To explore how their opinions on wind energy, particularly on vertical-axis wind turbines, differ from the general public, we administered the same online experimental survey to a general population sample of adult Californians and to a self-selected sample of online energy and environmental activists. We find that support for wind energy increases with the degree of environmental activism and engagement. The general public prefers vertical-axis wind turbines in open spaces, away from one's residence. Location and price sensitivity, however, are weaker among activists. Among activists, attitudes about specific vertical-axis wind turbine technologies are more crystalized and less susceptible to the information effects except on the topic of minimizing bird deaths.