The media narrative suggesting regional people oppose renewable energy projects, when the data unarguably shows the opposite, is now the subject of a published academic paper – Growing discontent on data centres as farmers fear renewable rollout repeat (The Land, 7/6).
Poll after poll after poll, from Porter Novelli, 89 Degrees East, CSIRO and more, all find huge support for local, clean, energy projects with opposition much less (but amplified by media coverage and social media algorithms that promote conflict).
Recent polling in April showed overall local support for clean energy projects at 63 per cent and opposition at 17 per cent. In coal regions, Hunter showed support of 60 per cent and opposition at 17 per cent. In Illawarra the support was 68 per cent and the opposition 12 per cent. Even in New England, support held strong at 55 per cent with opposition less than half that figure at 24 per cent.
Professor Rebecca Colvin’s peer-reviewed paper, published in Science Direct, finds that in addition to social media and media promoting conflict, people are more likely to speak up against things, than for them.
Farmers for Climate Action represents 8,000 farmers across Australia.
Our Billions in the Bush report found Australian farmers are on track to make a billion dollars in total from clean energy rent by 2030.
Modern solar contracts pay up to $1,500 per hectare per year while the farmer continues to graze sheep underneath. Modern wind farms typically pay $40,000 per wind turbine per year in rent to the farmer, while cattle and sheep continue to graze around it. Hosting solar and wind projects is entirely voluntary and how a farmer chooses to farm on their land is their choice.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
