Stormy times - Civic engagement in wind power development: between support and rejection

Abstract

Power generation in Germany is increasingly moving from the use of fossil fuels and nuclear power towards renewable energy. A significant 'pillar' of this transition is the use of wind power. However, despite high levels of general support for the energy transition, there is an increasing amount of civic protest against the construction of wind turbines. This article aims to explore the range of the key patterns of argumentation used by citizens' initiatives, some of which support and some of which oppose the further development of wind power. Discourse analysis is used to identify centrally anchored patterns within the structures of the arguments used by the protest movements in order to shed light on the discursive field of the energy transition. The key areas of conflict in the negotiation processes are multifaceted, spanning from economic or health-related aspects to issues related in particular to the topic of landscape and the legal frameworks of nature conservation. Both supporters and opponents refer to these issues - although using significantly differing arguments.