Disinformation campaigns about wind farms influence public opinion, but the extent to which people in different countries agree with them has been unclear. Research has now been done on this in various countries. The research analyses the spread of disinformation about wind farms and examines how widespread acceptance is in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. In a sample of more than 6,000 people, more than a quarter of respondents agree with a large number of false claims about wind energy. The research shows that the level of agreement is strongly correlated with a conspiracy-minded worldview and negatively correlated with an ecological worldview. (Photo: DALL-E)
“The research reveals that respondents who have little interest in wind energy endorse a wide range of misinformation.
For example, people who believe that wind turbines are bad for health often also believe that wind energy hardly produces any energy. While these claims have nothing to do with each other in a technical sense.
We also recognise this image in the Netherlands, for example from consultation responses and from letters to the editor to government authorities, so I expect that the research results can also be applied to the Dutch situation.”
Introduction and outline
Misinformation about wind farms can undermine public support for the energy transition. The study: 'Public Agreement with misinformation about wind farms' focuses on the level of public agreement with this misinformation in three countries: the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. The study uses six samples, with a total of 6008 respondents, asking participants about their positions on wind energy and various counterclaims circulating in the media.
The aim of the research was twofold:
- Determining how many people agree with false or misleading claims about wind farms.
- Analyzing the factors that influence this consent, such as education level, worldview and knowledge of science.
Results
The research found that a significant proportion of the population in all three countries agreed with a range of counter-claims about wind farms. In the US, 79.8% of respondents agreed with at least one claim that contained disinformation, compared to 75.9% in the UK and 77.4% in Australia. Around 30% of respondents in the US and Australia even agreed with half or more of these false claims.
For example, the most common disinformation claims are that wind farms are harmful to human health, that they do not actually reduce CO₂ emissions, and that governments and energy companies collude to hide the negative effects of wind farms. In particular, conspiracy theories about secrecy by governments and energy companies appear to be widely accepted.
Comparison by country:
- United States
In the United States, belief in disinformation ranked highest, with nearly 30% of respondents agreeing with half or more of the claims surveyed. The most common disinformation in the US involves conspiracy theories about the government, with claims that scientists and policymakers are exaggerating the benefits of wind farms or hiding the dangers. Donald Trump contributed to the spread of misinformation with his public statements, such as claiming that wind turbines cause cancer. - United Kingdom
In the UK, acceptance of disinformation was lower than in the US, with 24.5% agreeing with half or more of the false claims. Opposition in the UK has been heavily influenced by conservative media and political figures, but the study also points to a growing reliance on conspiracy theories, such as claims that wind farms are inefficient and harmful to the environment. - Australia
Australia scored similarly to the US in the proportion of the population who believe in misinformation. Here, misinformation often focuses on the idea that wind turbines have adverse effects on public health and the environment. The research shows that regional areas [PE1] are particularly susceptible to these beliefs, partly due to campaigns by political interest groups opposed to renewable energy.
Psychological factors: conspiracy thinking and worldviews
A key finding is that belief in disinformation is strongly related to conspiracy thinking. People who have a conspiracy mentality are more likely to believe in false information about wind farms. In all three countries, conspiracy thinking was the strongest predictor of disinformation acceptance. Respondents with this mindset often believe that government and industries hide or manipulate information to make wind energy look favorable.
At the same time, a pro-ecological worldview (as measured by the New Ecological Paradigm) was found to be a negative predictor of belief in disinformation. People who see themselves as environmentally conscious and believe that human activities harm nature were less likely to accept the false claims about wind farms.
Consequences for policy and communication
The results of this study have important implications for policymakers working on the expansion of wind energy. Given that a significant portion of the population is susceptible to misinformation, information campaigns aimed at spreading scientific facts may not be sufficient to reduce public resistance. The study suggests that misinformation is deeply rooted in worldviews and conspiracy thinking, which means that broader strategies are needed that aim to address underlying ideologies and concerns of the population.
Furthermore, it was found that people who agree with disinformation are also more likely to actively oppose wind farms, for example by supporting protests. This poses an obstacle to achieving climate goals and the energy transition, as public resistance can delay or even prevent the implementation of wind energy projects.
Conclusion
Misinformation about wind farms is a widespread problem in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. This misinformation is strongly linked to conspiracy thinking and negative environmental worldviews, which creates resistance to wind energy projects. To overcome this resistance, policymakers must not only focus on education, but also consider the deep-seated beliefs that fuel misinformation.
About the research
Public agreement with misinformation about wind farms, Winter, K., Hornsey, MJ, Pummerer, L. et al. Public agreement with misinformation about wind farms. Nat Commun 15 , 8888 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-53278-2
The following people and universities contributed to the research:
- University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany - Kevin Winter
- Leibniz Institute for Knowledge Media, Tübingen, Germany - Kevin Winter, Lotte Pummerer & Kai Sassenberg
- University of Queensland Business School, Brisbane, Australia - Matthew J. Hornsey
- University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany - Lotte Pummerer
- Leibniz Institute for Psychology, Trier, Germany - Kai Sassenberg
