The Eastern Cape in South Africa has been identified as having ideal characteristics for the development of wind farming, and thus the industry has grown in this area. Wind energy has been identified as a tool to create jobs; as the demand for electricity increases and renewable energy sources become a necessity, the South African Government has provided targets and incentives to attract investors into the industry. This study investigates why wind farms attract public resistance. It also investigates if wind energy is expensive compared to other sources of energy in South Africa and the Eastern Cape. A descriptive survey was conducted with two associations related to the study. Essential findings include: The largest impact that wind farm developments have on the environment is their visual pollution. Wind-generated energy provides the best return on investment and the second-best capital cost per megawatt in comparison with other sources of energy. In the Eastern Cape, wind as a resource is consistent enough to realise a financial return, and could be used to a large extent in terms of provision of power to the national grid.