The NC Clean Energy Technology Center (NCCETC) has been working to gain feedback from local perspectives regarding large-scale renewable energy developments in order to provide resources to communities and local governments about the siting and permitting process for solar and wind projects. NCCETC has been leading this initiative through the Carolinas Renewable Energy Development Assistance and Siting Hub (DASH) project, which is funded by the United States Department of Energy’s Reliable Energy Siting through Technical Engagement and Planning (R-STEP) program.

The Center for Urban Affairs and Community Services (CUACS) at North Carolina State University partnered with NCCETC to conduct a Community Member Survey from December 2024 through March 2025. The purpose of this telephone survey was to get an understanding of North and South Carolinians’ opinions on solar and wind development, with a greater focus on solar. CUACS targeted only non-urban counties, which are counties with a rural population of at least 10%. Urban counties were not targeted as those areas don’t see as many large-scale solar developments. The survey target was to reach 1,100 respondents across North and South Carolina. CUACS made 35,354 calls in total, reaching 1,152 respondents. 878 calls were completed in North Carolina, and 274 calls were completed in South Carolina.

The survey consisted of 19 questions, seven were substantive and 12 were related to the respondents’ demographics.

Substantive questions:

1. Are you aware of any solar developments that have been sited in and/or proposed for your community?
2. If yes, how close is the nearest solar or proposed solar development to your property? Would you say less than 5 miles, 5 to 10 miles, 11 to 15 miles, or 16 or more miles?
3. I am going to read you a list of possible impacts of a solar farm development on your community. Please tell me if you think each item I read has a strong positive impact, a slightly positive impact, no impact, a slightly negative impact or a strong negative impact?
4. Do you have any other concerns with solar development in your community?
5. If yes, please tell me your primary concern.
6. Are you aware of any wind developments that have been sited in and/or proposed for your community?
7. Do you believe that wind farms would be feasible and/or beneficial for your community?

Demographic questions:

1. Would you describe your residence as rural, suburban, or urban?
2. Do you rent or own your residence?
3. Do you work in an agriculture-related job?
4. Do any of your family members or friends work in an agriculture-related job?
5. Do you have rooftop or ground-mounted solar panels at your residence?
6. What is your ethnicity?
7. What is your age?
8. What is your gender?
9. What is the highest level of education you have completed?
10. Which of the following best describes your current employment status?
11. What is your income?
12. What is your political party?

The mean age of respondents was 53.2, with 53.3% identifying as male and 46.7% identifying as female. Notable results from the demographic responses found that the majority of community members owned their residence (78.47%), while a smaller portion rented their residence (21.53%). Only a small percentage of respondents reported that they worked in agriculture (9.55%), whereas the majority (90.45%) worked in other industries. Only 3.47% of respondents reported that they own roof or ground-mounted solar panels.

Overall, the substantive results showed that 27.69% of respondents were aware of solar developments being proposed or siting in their community. Many respondents believed solar development would have a positive effect on property values as opposed to a negative effect, but the majority of respondents either had no opinion or said it would have no impact.

Respondents also believed solar development would have more of a positive economic benefit for their community than negative, but many thought it would have no effect or had no opinion.

A small portion (27.6%) of respondents said they had concerns about solar development in their community outside of what they were questioned on. Many mentioned concerns about the disposal of used solar panels in addition to deforestation.

When asked if wind energy would be feasible or beneficial for their communities, numerous respondents thought that it would be neither feasible nor beneficial.

319 respondents were already aware of solar developments in their communities, and these respondents were more likely to live in rural areas. In addition to living in rural areas, they were also more likely to work in agriculture or have family or friends who work in agriculture. These respondents had higher education levels but similar employment and income levels to the full sample.

Of the 319 respondents aware of solar developments, they were more likely to say that solar development had no impact on the local job market.

Those respondents were also less likely to say that solar development had economic benefits for the community and were slightly more likely to say that it had a negative impact or no impact on the economy.

Of the full survey sample, most respondents were ambivalent about the economic effects of solar development, as many said they had no opinion or that the developments would have no impact. This shows there may be an opportunity for more education around the impact of solar developments on the economy. Regarding environmental issues, respondents were primarily not concerned about the impacts of solar development on human health.

The perspectives of those who were aware of solar developments sited or proposed in their communities contrasted to some of the responses given in the full sample. These respondents were slightly more negative about solar developments, saying that it would negatively affect property values, and showed a greater concern for wildlife health and farmland preservation impacts.

By analyzing these results, NCCETC has a greater idea of what needs to be addressed in these communities to provide the knowledge necessary for respondents to develop well-informed opinions about topics related to solar and wind developments.

The Carolinas DASH project website will serve as a hub for community members and local governments to access resources about solar and wind developments. Currently, the website includes existing white papers on identified issues, a template solar energy development ordinance, a land use resource library, solar siting maps, and other fact-based resources.

The full survey report can be accessed in the resources section on the Carolinas DASH website, or at https://nccleantech.ncsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Community-Member-Survey-June-2025.pdf.

To stay in the loop as additional siting and permitting resources are provided, sign up for the Carolinas DASH newsletter on the project website.