Are wind turbines integrated into landscape? an analysis of its social perception in a spanish mediterranean area

Abstract

Context: Renewable energy sources development has introduced wind farms as a regular landscape element. However, as human-made elements, wind farms influence on landscape's scenic beauty differently according to the socio-demographic characteristics of the beholder. Objectives: In this regard, the study analyses the population's visual perception of wind farms into Mediterranean landscapes with reference to three social variables: gender, age and education level. Method: People's preferences were assessed through two on-line surveys with several landscape photographs, with and without wind turbines. Subsequently, the score of each photograph was statistically analyzed regarding the landscapes showed and the respondents' socio-demographic variables. Results: The results demonstrate how vegetation had a positive effect in landscape' scenic beauty, especially forest, as well as people do not perceive negatively wind turbines presence. In fact, their implementation in deteriorated or low scored landscapes improves its scenic beauty. Lastly, despite the fact that gender, age and education do not influence on people's perception, there is a trend between these factors and wind turbines influence on landscape. Conclusions: In addition to reinforce the vegetation positive effects on landscape’ scenic beauty, wind turbines have become a new landscape element that, in general, do not have a negative impact on its scenic beauty but, according to age, different consideration appeared.