Sustainability, Vol. 11, Pages 3802: Wind Power on the Brazilian Northeast Coast, from the Whiff of Hope to Turbulent Convergence: The Case of the Galinhos Wind Farms (Sustainability)

The convergent narrative which proposes an energy transition, aiming to replace fossil fuels with renewable energies, has in wind power technology a viable option that can consolidate this view. Brazil produced 14.8 GW of wind powered energy in 2019, 85.7% of this total in the Northeastern region. Social and environmental fragilities of local communities, overlooked an exclusionary planning, have led to opposition movements against wind farm implementation. This study aims to assess how the arrival of wind power dialogues with the demands of the communities living in the projects’ vicinities, as well as repercussions on institutional, socio-economic and environmental developments. A case study was conducted with regard to the Galinhos’ community reaction to the arrival of wind power. First, public domain narratives were evaluated, in order to ascertain the different perceptions from the social actors involved in the process. Next, the community’s vision was assessed regarding expectations and fears, created by the existence of the wind farm, before and after its implementation. The perception was that the wind farm did not change the population’s socioeconomic conditions and environmental issues require appraisals by the accountable bodies. In this scenario, the materiality of the narrative that justifies wind farm expansion in the Brazilian northeast was assessed.