Can wind energy help West Virginia off its coal-mining addiction?

The Appalachian Region stands at a crucial socioeconomic juncture. As the surrounding country prepares for a rapid energy transition, much of the region’s cultural and economic capital remains deeply invested in the coal industry. In this paper, we investigate the economic and socio-cultural impact of wind projects in West Virginia, a state with decades long cultural and economic capital in coal, but robust geographical potential for a clean energy industry. Through a mixed-methods approach, we analyze socioeconomic data from the U.S. Census and Bureau of Labor Statistics (2008–2020) and survey WV residents to compare the empirical and perceived impacts of these energy sectors. Fixed effects regression models estimate the effects of coal mining and wind energy on unemployment, per capita income, and poverty rates. Results reveal that coal mining, despite reducing unemployment in the short term, is associated with lower per capita income and heightened poverty rates. In contrast, when modeling energy employment according to literature, it has a weaker impact on unemployment but holds long-term potential for economic diversification. These results are not pecific to West Virginia (WV). Contrary to these results, survey respondents demonstrate a persistent bias in favor of coal, overestimating its positive economic impact while perceiving wind energy as a less effective job creator. This discrepancy between empirical data and subjective perceptions reflect the long standing dominance of coal in WV’s political economy and the unique difficulties of the energy transition in this region. The political, psychological, and cultural implications of transitioning a WV economy with a deep cultural heritage of fossil fuels towards sustainable energy solutions are discussed.