UPPER Hunter residents are more likely to support energy produced from coal than wind farms, government research shows.

A survey of 30,000 Upper Hunter residents found more than half expressed concern about potential noise, environmental and visual impacts resulting from wind farms.

The former Department of Environment and Climate Change conducted the survey last year as part of research for the $200million Kyoto Energy Park near Scone.

Under a new state government proposal announced yesterday, people living within two kilometres of a proposed wind farm would have the right to veto them.

A company wanting to set up a wind farm in an area where landowner consent has not been given will have to go to an independent regional panel if there is community concern.

There are 17 applications to build wind farms in NSW, including 13 that have not been shown to the public.

‘‘Today I am announcing that the NSW Coalition government is putting out for public discussion some of the toughest wind-farm guidelines in the country, possibly the world,’’ Planning Minister Brad Hazzard said.

Most people surveyed about the Kyoto Energy Park said they were aware of it, but many said they were not optimistic about its potential economic and community benefits.

Kyoto Energy Park proponent Pamada plans to install 34 wind turbines in the park, which would be capable of generating 126megawatts of power.

The project received Department of Planning Approval in January 2009, but horse breeders and indigenous groups continue to oppose it. Pamada could not be contacted yesterday but the company recently said that work would begin next year.

The NSW Greens said the proposed planning guidelines would kill off the wind-generation sector in favour of coal seam gas as a solution to the state’s future energy needs.

‘‘If this draft plan becomes law, the government has effectively chosen a destructive coal seam gas future for NSW over the clean, green and jobs-rich wind-energy sector,’’ Greens planning spokesman David Shoebridge said.

But Mr Hazzard said the state remained committed to being part of the federal government’s 20per cent renewable energy target by 2020.

He said the proposed guidelines would help find a balance between residents living near wind turbines and supporters of renewable energy.

The Victorian government this year gave residents within a two-kilometre radius a right of veto over wind turbines.

But Mr Hazzard said the NSW proposal was different and that wind-farm proponents would get a bigger say.

People wishing to write submissions to the NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure have until March 14.