Porter Novelli, in partnership with Quantum Market Research, has unveiled Winds of Change: Regional Australians’ Real Views on Renewables, a new research study revealing strong regional support for renewables.
The study offers valuable insights into how these projects can succeed by improving community engagement and tackling mis- and disinformation.
Porter Novelli has long worked in partnership with businesses, non-profits, and institutions to support renewable energy projects in regional Australia. More recently, the company has collaborated with organizations such as X-Elio on solar farms, HAMR Energy on renewable methanol development, and Spark Renewables on wind and solar energy generation.
This work over many years has given Porter Novelli deep insights into the importance of engaging regional communities early in the process and ensuring they are involved in shaping the future of renewable energy in their specific local areas.
Amid a complex landscape, regional Australians have often been portrayed as resistant to the rollout of renewable energy. However, Porter Novelli’s research challenges this oversimplified view, revealing a more nuanced reality.
The study was designed to answer three key questions: whether regional Australians are truly opposed to renewables, how disinformation is influencing perceptions, and what communications strategies can build stronger support for renewable energy projects.
The findings suggest that support for renewable energy in regional areas is stronger than widely believed, but misconceptions fueled by disinformation remain a significant challenge.
This indicates an urgent need for clear, proactive communication to counter false narratives and ensure local communities are well-informed and engaged in renewable developments.
Key findings:
- Strong regional support for renewables: Despite the conventional narrative, two-thirds (67 per cent) of Australians in both cities and rural areas support renewable energy projects, with no significant difference between urban and regional areas.
- Misinformation distorts reality: While 66 per cent of regional Australians support renewables, they believe that only 49 per cent of their peers do, reflecting how disinformation has skewed public perceptions.
- Disinformation works: Alarmingly, large numbers of us believe widely debunked myths. Thirty-seven per cent of Australians believe wind turbines pose a major threat to birds and bats, 36 per cent think solar farms are ineffective on cloudy days, and 18 per cent accept the myth that offshore wind farms kill whales, which was created by a deliberate disinformation campaign.
- Local communities want more engagement: 79 per cent of regional Australians who are aware of renewable projects say they’ve never been invited to participate in discussions, highlighting the need for stronger local engagement.
The launch of this research underscores Porter Novelli’s commitment to building trust, addressing local concerns, and fostering long-term communications partnerships that contribute to a successful, sustainable energy future for all Australians.
