The largest Australian survey of public attitudes towards renewable energy, conducted by the CSIRO has found that those living closer to proposed offshore wind farms are more likely to be less favourable to the floating energy infrastructure.
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In the Illawarra, a proposed offshore wind zone has prompted fierce opposition and fervent support in some quarters, however the survey reveals that most of the public sit in the middle.
Conducted in late 2023, the survey asked over 6700 Australians their attitudes towards the energy transition and their views on green energy infrastructure.
Co-author Dr Mitch Scovell said the survey set a baseline for Australians' take on the path to green energy.
"Most people were on board for the transition at a very high level, preferring moderate to high change, and we found that the more people understood the transition, the why and the how, the more supportive they were," he said.
Respondents expressed concerns about the impact on the local environment, and what happens to the infrastructure at the end of its life.
The survey asked Australians about their attitudes to solar farms, onshore and offshore wind farms and transmission infrastructure, such as high voltage power lines. Attitudes were broadly similar across the generation types, however there was lower levels of support for transmission infrastructure.
While the survey did not directly ask about the Illawarra's offshore wind zone it did ask those in the Hunter and Gippsland, the areas with the most advanced offshore wind proposals, about their thoughts on offshore wind.
In these areas, respondents were less favourable to offshore wind than across the Australian population. A third of those living near proposed offshore wind areas would reject or tolerate the infrastructure, while 58 per cent were OK with it, approved of it or would embrace it.
Sean Moran, volunteer with pro-wind farm group Good for the Gong, said the data showed a general level of support for the infrastructure.
"That data aligns with what we're seeing here - that there is broad community support for offshore wind - on the proviso that environmental protections are in place, and that the community has access to potential benefits whether it's discounted energy bills, job security, or investment in community assets and training."
However, Alex O'Brien, a representative of Responsible Future's Illawarra chapter, the successor to the Coalition Against Offshore Wind, said increased scrutiny of offshore wind proposals in the areas they were set to be located turned residents against the project.
"Seven to eight months have passed since this survey was undertaken, it is clear that public perspectives on energy have undergone substantial changes not just in the Illawarra but nationally," he said.
"Factors like numerous rallies, community sessions and increased national media coverage have changed public opinion."
Dr Scovell said that generally, people living outside of cities and regional centres were less supportive of energy infrastructure.
"We found that those living out of town had the highest concerns and lower levels of support for infrastructure at this stage."
When it came to offshore wind, those living in a regional city identified the primary benefit as increasing energy supply and the primary impact being changes to marine environment. Impacts on visual amenity ranked sixth out of 14 different impacts.
The report, released earlier this month, comes as energy and climate change minister Chris Bowen continues to sift through the thousands of submissions received during the extended consultation period on the proposed Illawarra wind zone.
Mr Bowen has the power to declare the zone at the same size as the draft, declare a smaller zone or declare no zone at all, and the power to impose conditions on any zone.
After an at times bruising consultation period, the survey suggests that while the loudest voices were at the fringes, most people sat somewhere in the middle.
