Verdict
Research suggests a majority of Australians including in regional and rural areas support renewable energy.
Analysis
Research consistently finds high levels of support for renewable energy in regional Australia. In November 2024, research by 89 Degrees East, commissioned by Farmers for Climate Action, found that 70% of people living in Renewable Energy Zones support clean energy projects on farmland in their community, with only 17% opposed1. Amongst respondents with a connection to farming, there was 73% support, indicating that it isn’t just those living in regional towns with no connection to farming who support renewables.
Research by communications firm Porter Novelli and Quantum Market Research found comparable results and noted that “a two-thirds majority for any policy is a significant endorsement, particularly when compared to other initiatives that struggle to gain such widespread approval.”
A survey of 2,500 Australians conducted by an independent research firm for the Clean Energy Council in December 2024 found that producing more energy from solar farms and onshore and offshore wind farms had support from three quarters of Australians. While 65% of rural and regional Australians agreed with the statement, ‘Regional Australia has always relied upon the sun, wind, and water for agriculture. Renewable energy is just a new way of using those same elements and will bring prosperity to rural communities.’
Detailed research by the CSIRO in 2023 found that positive attitudes to living near renewable energy infrastructure are the same when comparing those in cities to those in regional towns, but are lower amongst those who live on rural properties2. In all cases, though, the percentage who would reject living near a wind farm or solar farm is in the minority.
The Porter Novelli research also looked at the gap between perception and reality on attitudes of regional Australians3. They found that 66% of people in regional Australia support renewable energy, but that people think that support in regional Australia is only around 50%. When asked about projects being built “in your region or local area,” support is slightly lower (60%) than the general 66% support for renewables amongst regional Australians.
References
1 – Farmers for Climate Action. (2024). Renewable Energy in Farming Communities. URL: FFCA-89DE-RenewableEnergyReport.pdf 2 – McCrea R. et.al. (2024). Australian attitudes toward the energy transition – Part
2 – Attitudes and perceptions of renewable energy infrastructure – Solar Farms, onshore windfarms, offshore windfarms, and transmission infrastructure. URL: CSIRO Research Publications Repository – Publication
3 – Porter Novelli. (2024). Winds of change: Regional Australians’ Real Views on Renewables. URL: Porter-Novelli-Australia_Winds-of-Change-Research-Report-1.pdf
