A community cultural identity is a complex mixture of different interacting factors, among them:
- Group identity: feeling of belonging to a group
Cultural identity is an integral part of self- identity, which may fell menaced by unknown innovation technology, although it may affect wind energy social acceptance in different ways and different levels. Wind farming may also refuel existing conflicts between minority groups and the national governments, as it happened in 2008 in Sweden with the Sami community.
- Sense of place: the relationship between people and the place in which they live
WinWind studies in Sweden, Norway and Canada showed that local acceptance of wind plants was low, wherever the use of land for wind farming was perceived as conflicting with the traditional use of the land and the community sovereignty.
- Shared values: socio-cultural values shared by a community
In the WinWind project, the weight of values shared by people (for example, their views about equal rights or entrepreneurialism) resulted to be quite variable. Anyway, their slightly negative influence on the acceptance of wind plants was considered not significant in comparison with other aspects.
Cultural/nature heritage groups and environmental and conservation movements often represents such issues and are therefore important stakeholders to address.
Find out more
The WinWind project included indigenous cultural identity among the relevant factors to the of wind power community acceptance. Here below further readings:
On conflicts in indigenous communities
Technical and socio-economic conditions pages 34-66
On cultural identity as a barrier to wind energy development
Taxonomy of social acceptance drivers and barriers page 21
On socio-cultural values and community acceptance of wind energy development
Technical and socio-economic conditions pages 52-56
Taxonomy of social acceptance drivers and barriers pages 12, 14, 21, 34, 40, 67-68
On sense of place influence on community acceptance
Technical and socio-economic conditions pages 12,40,57
Online consultation with stakeholders in wind energy scarce regions (WESR)
Taxonomy of social acceptance drivers and barriers page 32-34