Abstract
In this research, we compare and synthesize results from two separate survey projects concerning community perceptions of wind energy. In particular, we are comparing and contrasting cognitive and affective (emotional) responses. One survey is a nationally representative sample of the United States and looks at land-based wind technology wherein we also compare pre- and post-project construction move-in samples. The other is a case study of the coastal communities in Rhode Island, USA in relation to the Block Island Offshore Wind Project. Because the project is near shore to the island population and farther ashore from the coastal population, we compare and contrast models of each. Both projects rely upon the use of regression methods with the former utilizing linear regression and the latter utilizing ordered logistic regression respectively. We find that among all models presented across the two projects, affective variables like anger and fear have a distinctly strong relationship to project attitudes including support or opposition. Developers, policymakers, and other agenda setters should fully embrace that emotional perception is going to play a role in community perceptions and that the incorporation and understanding of this is likely to make a difference to the public.