Gaps in mind: Political and spatial cleavages in local onshore wind attitudes in Germany

Public support for wind energy in Germany is high, yet local opposition can impede project delivery. This study examines which socio-demographic characteristics predict acceptance of onshore wind energy and whether effects differ between urban and rural residents in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). We analyze a representative survey of N = 6284 adults fielded in September 2021, using survey weights. We focus on wind-salient outcomes (support for local wind expansion and landscape evaluations) and situate preferences for information, participation, conflict handling, and benefit-sharing as actionable process levers. Analytically, we (i) report weighted mean differences by place; (ii) estimate weighted least-squares models in which place of residence, political orientation, education, and age enter jointly; and (iii) test moderated regressions to assess whether urban-rural context conditions the influence of trust and perceived fairness. Results show that political orientation is by far the strongest correlate of wind-salient attitudes; education and age contribute only weak gradients that are not consistently distinguishable from zero, and the direct urban-rural effect is small and statistically indistinguishable from zero once other markers are held constant. Trust in scientists and planning authorities and perceived procedural/distributive fairness are strongly and positively associated with support; moreover, context matters: in rural settings, higher trust and clearly governed fairness arrangements are especially consequential. We discuss planning implications, focusing on the need to: embed co-designed, face-to-face participation alongside transparent disclosures; route information through credible intermediaries; and make siting criteria and revenue-sharing explicit and enforceable. The study clarifies how classic acceptance drivers interact with place and provides actionable guidance for tailoring engagement to different constituencies in Germany.