Making wind work for local communities
Not only is wind power transforming Europe’s energy mix, it also directly impacts local communities – and the wind industry can safely ensure that this impact maximises benefits in terms of jobs, infrastructure and much more.
A single wind turbine is already an asset to any community: wind creates local jobs, revenue and community ownership. The average onshore wind turbine in Europe has a capacity of 2.8 MW, triggering around €2.8 million of investment plus an additional €28,000 spent on local suppliers. With the growing number of installed wind turbines, the demand for employees in operation and maintenance (O&M) rises, and O&M will become the greatest source of new jobs and demand for trained staff by 2030.
Wind has already proven its capacity to rejuvenate economies, with examples such as Hull in the UK and Cádiz in Spain underlying the contribution wind makes both directly and indirectly to local jobs and businesses.
But there remain concerns regarding the social acceptance of wind turbines, and it is important that the industry addresses and overcomes these challenges. At the WindEurope Conference and Exhibition you will learn about how large wind farms can be built with full support from local communities, and how local communities stand to benefit from these wind projects. Attendees will hear about finalized onshore projects in Portugal and the Netherlands, and can participate in an interactive panel discussion moderated by Garry Keagan, coordinator of IEA Task 28 on social acceptance.
Niels-Erik Clausen, Topic Leader on Environment, social acceptance & planning on land and at sea:
