Initiated in Australia in June, Vestas' so-called Act on Facts campaign has expanded to Europe. At the VIND 2013 wind industry conference in Stockholm, the company says it launched the next phase of its global effort to separate myths from facts and channel public support toward political action favoring wind energy. Vestas also plans to highlight its campaign in the U.K. and Ireland come November.
‘Wind energy projects are being put at risk by an increasingly organized and influential anti-wind movement. The Act on Facts campaign is designed to counter factually flawed arguments and misinformation and to tip the balance back in wind energy's favor," explains Morten Albaek, Vestas Group senior vice president globally responsible for marketing, communications and public affairs.
Per Witalisson, CEO of Eolus Vind AB, says Vestas' initiative is "long overdue."
"We've seen projects delayed and even cancelled as a result of public opposition," Witalisson comments. "It's one thing if the concerns are well founded and based on real information. It's a completely different matter when scare-mongering is the source of the problems."
Vestas says people in 88 countries have visited the campaign's Web portal, ActOnFacts.org, since the pilot program was launched in June. According to the company, the campaign's latest phase features the following:
– five newly produced videos addressing key misconceptions about wind energy;
– an expanded section featuring information to help answer common questions about wind energy and dispel some of the more common myths and misconceptions;
– new functions such as Supporters' Corner and Community Stories sections; and
– up-to-date information on pro-wind and pro-climate initiatives in which local citizens can engage.
