AWEA’s Community Engagement Seminar series: Let’s learn from each other

This article comes from AWEA’s Into the Wind blog and is written by Greg Alverez.

Ask any wind farm developer, and they’ll tell you the most successful projects are in communities that want them. And a lot of communities do, because there are wind farms in 41 out of 50 states, supporting well-paying jobs and investing billions of dollars in rural communities.

But how can we help ensure that happens? What are the best ways to mobilize the vast majority of people who support wind power while addressing the concerns that are natural for any major project?

The stakes are high for the communities involved because of opposition that stalls projects can kill jobs and eliminate new tax revenue that can pay for roads, teacher salaries, ambulances and other vital local services. How do we deliver accurate wind power information that communities can trust?

The next installment of AWEA’s Community Engagement Seminar series tackles exactly these questions.

Join us on Monday, May 22 in Anaheim, Cal. for a pre-conference event before WINDPOWER 2017 entitled “Community Engagement Seminar III:  Mobilizing Supporters, Defusing Opposition.”

During this highly participatory, interactive workshop, you’ll hear from fellow developers about what went right during some of their greatest successes, and what went wrong in projects that failed. You’ll learn about which visual aids can help during town halls, and discuss the root of local concerns.

The National Journal’s Aaron Young will keynote on the first-person testimonials and “advocate profiling” techniques employed by the National Federation of Independent Business and others. AWEA will demonstrate new industry-wide tools, and take requests for further joint resources to help gain public acceptance.

Here’s some of the feedback we received after running this program during AWEA’s Siting and Environmental Compliance conference in March:

• “This is the best session I have ever experienced at an AWEA conference. I have been attending since 2008.”
• “Best session of conference – would like to see something like this offered.”
• “It was terrific! The case studies were great.”

Ensuring community buy-in is a key part of making sure we continue adding chapters to this American success story, and we all have important insights to offer to each other.

We hope to see you in Anaheim on May 22, where you can share your knowledge and pick up some new techniques. Sign up today!