‘Thank you in advance for not changing my retirement home’s intrinsic beauty’: NIMBYism, environmental privilege and the politics of offshore wind energy

The development of new wind energy infrastructure is widely supported in the United States. Yet, the siting of wind farms is often contentious. This research problematises how local stakeholders frame their opposition to offshore wind projects at a time when the swift adoption of renewable energies is generally seen as a necessity for environmental, social and economic reasons. Through qualitative content analysis of eighty-nine public comments pertaining to offshore wind projects planned off the North Carolina coast, we argue that objections to wind projects reflect an understanding of the infrastructure’s environmental burden and, importantly, a desire to protect environmental privilege. Findings suggest a need for expanded research on the dimensions of privilege that may be at play across wind farm sites and that any consideration of a just transition must consider how expressions of privilege inform environmental political discourse.