A majority of Swedes want more wind turbines in their municipality. Yet many believe that only a minority share this view. Local politicians also have an incorrect picture of the population's support for wind energy. This is evident from the report Missuppfattad motvind 2025, prepared by Green Power Sweden and Svensk Vindkraft. This is written by Green Power Denmark.
- Necessary decisions for energy transition risk being delayed when both citizens and politicians underestimate the real support for wind power, says Lina Kinning, vice president of Green Power Sweden.
The report is based on a nationwide opinion poll and analyses from 20 municipalities. It shows that support for wind energy is underestimated in all Swedish municipalities - in some cases by up to 18 percentage points. On average, citizens believe that 46 percent of their neighbors support more onshore wind energy, although the real figure is 56 percent.
Swedish local politicians estimate support even lower, estimating that only 30 percent of voters are positive about a wind turbine within five kilometers of their home. The actual figure is 41 percent.
Similar pattern in Denmark
In Denmark, recent studies show a similar pattern. An analysis from ClimAct under the University of Copenhagen concludes that six out of ten Danes say yes to wind turbines nearby, while a study from TrygFonden's 2022 confidence survey shows three out of four support turbines in their municipality.
Camilla Holbech, director of renewable energy at Green Power Denmark, warns that political campaigns against green energy may have the opposite effect.
- Citizen resistance may be able to move votes locally, but politicians risk losing at least as many votes in the rest of the municipality. There is little to suggest that being against green energy is a winning cause, and the report from our Swedish neighbors is another example of this, she says.
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