Staré Heřmanovice holds referendum on wind energy development

Residents of Staré Heřmanovice in the Bruntál region are participating in a binding referendum held alongside municipal elections to decide whether the local council should cooperate with potential investors regarding the construction of wind power plants. While a previous survey showed some support, a public discussion on government-designated acceleration zones saw 60 percent of attendees oppose the development, prompting the council to seek a definitive public mandate.

A study by social geographer Bohumil Frantál of the Czech Academy of Sciences reveals a significant correlation between prior experience with wind energy and referendum outcomes. In municipalities where wind turbines are already operational, an average of 67 percent of residents voted in favor of further development. Conversely, in areas without existing turbines, 80 percent voted against them.

The research also indicates that the specificity of the referendum question impacts results. When questions include concrete details, such as the number of planned turbines, support reaches approximately 70 percent. When questions are phrased generally, opposition rises to 70 percent. Industry representatives note that the current trend of negative referendum results is partly driven by concerns regarding government acceleration zones.