Most Germans support further wind power development, except in the eastern German countryside

Most people in Germany support further development of wind power. The exception is rural areas in the eastern states, where only 41.6% of residents support further wind power development, while a third are firmly opposed. The news was reported by the international outlet Clean Energy Wire. 

According to a survey conducted by the German Economic Institute (IW) in cooperation with TU Dresden, almost 70% of residents in the western states and 54.4% in the eastern states support further wind power development. The lowest level of support was recorded in rural eastern Germany, at just 41.6%.

Support for wind power development in Germany falls by as much as 40 percentage points when respondents are asked about wind farms in forested areas.

According to the survey, support is generally lower among voters of the far-right German party AfD, with 51% of the party’s voters in the eastern German states opposed to further wind power development. The AfD is expected to perform well in September’s elections in three eastern German states.

Support for solar power is high across Germany

Solar power enjoys significantly higher support than wind power. Almost 85% of respondents in the western states and 78% of respondents in the German states support its further development.

According to the published survey results, which are based on more than 5,000 adult respondents and were collected across Germany from April to May this year, four out of five Germans are concerned about the effects of climate change.