Graduate Project
 

Wind Energy Siting in Kittitas County, Washington

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https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/graduate_projects/1v53jz538

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  • Increasing renewable energy development is often seen as an essential tool for combating global climate change, yet despite widespread support in theory, renewable energy often faces problems at the implementation stage. In the state of Washington, where voters have expressed a desire for greater renewable energy by mandating that 15% of their electricity must come from renewable sources by 2020, conflicts arise between the goals of the state and the desires of the local communities. Understanding how and why communities respond the way they do to renewable energy proposals is critical in resolving these conflicts. This study draws upon social movement theories to understand how the concepts of threat, political opportunity, and resources influenced community response to wind power projects in Kittitas County, Washington. The findings show that the localized framing of threat, limited political opportunity, and limited resources contributed to opposition being largely project-specific, while the countywide framing of benefits, significant political opportunity, and well-mobilized resources allowed support to carry across projects. This study helps provide context for not only the nature of opposition to wind energy projects, but of support as well. In addition, this research can help understand how to best move forward with energy policy in Washington and ensure greater democratic participation in the wind energy siting process.
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