The overall objective of WinWind is to enhance the socially inclusive and environmentally sound market uptake of wind energy by increasing its social acceptance in 'wind energy scarce regions' (WESR). The specific objectives are: screening, analysing, discussing, replicating, testing & disseminating feasible solutions for increasing social acceptance and thereby the uptake of wind energy.

The project applies a multidisciplinary perspective to consider cases of WESR in Germany, Spain, Italy, Latvia, Norway and Poland. These selected countries represent a variety of realities ranging from large (but with WESR) to very scarce wind energy penetration.

WinWind analyses regional and local communities' specificities, socioeconomic, spatial & environmental characteristics and the reasons for slow market deployment in the selected target regions. In doing so all individual and collective rights of the indigenous people (Article 27 UN Human Rights Committee) will be taken into consideration. The operational tasks of the projects are taken up by national/regional stakeholder desks consisting of the project partners, market actors and other stakeholders in each participating country.

Best practices to overcome the identified obstacles are assessed and – where feasible – transferred. The project has a special focus on novel informal/voluntary procedural participation measures, direct and indirect financial participation measures, and benefit sharing. Finally, policy lessons with validity across Europe are drawn and recommendations proposed.

The project started in October 2017. Under the coordination of the Freie Universität of Berlin – Environmental Policy Research Centre (FFU), it will run for 30 months until March 2020.