Energy infrastructure, NIMBYism, and public opinion: a systematic literature review of three decades of empirical survey literature

Abstract

Public support is a key determinant of whether any energy project is developed in democratic countries. In recent decades, scholars have extensively examined levels of support and opposition to energy infrastructure, often with a focus on so-called Not-in-My-Backyard (NIMBY) sentiments. As the need for energy infrastructure grows, so does the need to extract insights and lessons from this literature. In this systematic literature review, we evaluate decades of research to identify important trends in topical focus, research findings, and research design. We find a disproportionate focus on wind energy, followed by solar, fossil fuels, and transmission, with most studies conducted in the United States or United Kingdom, and that individuals are more often supportive of energy projects than they are opposed. Scholars have examined the role of many factors in understanding attitudes toward energy infrastructure, and often find knowledge, trust, and positive perceptions about the benefits of projects to be positively correlated with support for projects, although with variation across energy types. NIMBY attitudes differ widely in approach and are often plagued by problematic research designs that limit inferences and the generalizability of findings. We provide a detailed discussion of these limitations and suggest areas in which the literature can expand.

Keywords

• energy infrastructure
• public support
• public opposition
• NIMBY