Wind power in Carinthia: Population unsettled by populism

With a leading question and a low voter turnout of 34.9 percent, the survey had a narrowly negative result – and thus against energy independence, against stable electricity prices and against committed nature conservation.

Every second job in Carinthia is dependent on industry. A current study by the Industrial Association makes it clear that industry’s energy needs will double by 2040. This is counteracted by Carinthia’s massive electricity deficit from renewables in winter: “Carinthia mainly has electricity from hydropower and this does not provide that much electricity in winter. That’s why Carinthia has to import a lot of expensive electricity, especially in winter,” explains Florian Maringer, managing director of IG Windkraft. “The result of the referendum could lead to Carinthia being left behind and having to continue to rely on expensive electricity imports.”

“Carinthia needs wind power. However, a suggestive question and massive spread of false information have greatly unsettled part of the Carinthian population. We therefore appeal to the Carinthian state government not to abandon the population with these concerns and to continue the dialogue about a sustainable energy future and the work on it,” emphasizes Maringer.

The result of the referendum is not binding for politicians. Most referendums on specific wind farm projects take place at the community level and two thirds are positive for wind power. A 2021 survey by the Alpen-Adria University of Klagenfurt on the acceptance of wind power showed clear support from 71% of those surveyed in Carinthia. “Wind power communities like St. Georgen in Lavanttal prove that if the population is properly informed and involved in a dialogue at eye level, people will choose the advantages of wind power,” explains Maringer.

Nature conservation and wind power go hand in hand

According to Maringer, the comprehensive commitment to nature conservation has also been lost in populism and misinformation. Wind energy is one of the most environmentally friendly technologies for generating electricity and is one of the electricity generation technologies with the lowest land use. Wind power operators have been intensively committed to protecting nature and biodiversity since day one. The specific measures include, for example, the consideration of breeding and resting places for rare bird species when choosing the location and construction of the facilities, the use of bird protection stations and concepts, the consideration of the landscape by integrating the facilities into the surrounding area, as well as the creation of flowering areas and the promotion of biodiversity in the area around the wind farms. Many operators also invest in research and monitoring programs to record and continually improve the long-term impact of their systems on the environment.