2025
Netherlands
WIMBY has developed free, interactive tools to support inclusive planning and public engagement for wind energy projects. Combining an online map, a forum, and an immersive 3D platform, WIMBY enables users to explore impacts such as noise, biodiversity, and visual change. Co-created with stakeholders, the tools foster collaboration, improve understanding, and help identify socially acceptable and technically sound turbine locations, supporting a just and informed European energy transition.
Highlights
01
The tools were co-created and tested in 20+ workshops across Italy, Austria, Portugal, and Norway.
02
The 3D platform received unanimously positive feedback from participants, including wind energy sceptics.
03
WIMBY tools make expert wind data freely accessible and user-friendly for non-experts across Europe.
Main Information
WIMBY (Wind in My Backyard) is a research and engagement initiative led by the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development at Utrecht University, developed to enable transparent, inclusive, and science-based planning of wind energy projects across Europe. The project involves providing a suite of interactive tools – a web-based map, an online discussion forum, and an immersive 3D platform – that help citizens, policymakers, and developers collaboratively explore potential wind farm locations, impacts, and trade-offs.
The initiative responds to growing social, technical, and environmental challenges in the energy transition, where local opposition and fragmented data can delay renewable deployment. WIMBY combines geospatial, environmental, and social datasets to visualise where wind energy can be installed sustainably. Users can explore scenarios that reflect both technical constraints and social preferences, improving understanding of how planning decisions affect communities and ecosystems.
The WIMBY interactive map and forum allow planning of Wind farms at any location in 28 European countries. The tool optimises the location of individual turbines and assesses multiple societal and environmental impacts. Projects can be shared and discussed in the dedicated forum. The only requirement is a browser and an internet connection.
The 3D virtual environment transforms complex energy data into interactive experiences, enabling people to “see and feel” potential wind farms in realistic landscapes. The platform facilitates structured dialogue among residents, developers, and public authorities, creating a shared evidence base and building trust.
The tools were developed and tested in Italy, Austria, Portugal, and Norway, with stakeholders from local governments, NGOs, universities, and energy companies. Results show that interactive visualisation helps bridge the gap between expert knowledge and public perception, leading to more informed, democratic, and locally accepted decisions.
WIMBY exemplifies how research-driven innovation can empower citizens and improve planning outcomes. Its open-source design ensures scalability and transferability across Europe, providing a free resource for both education and professional use. By making wind energy planning more transparent and participatory, WIMBY fosters acceptance, reduces conflict, and advances a just and inclusive energy transition.
other practices
