PapersFlow Research Brief
Social Acceptance of Renewable Energy
Research Guide
What is Social Acceptance of Renewable Energy?
Social acceptance of renewable energy is the degree to which individuals, communities, and key stakeholders support or oppose the development and deployment of renewable energy technologies, influenced by factors such as public perceptions, place attachment, and notions of fairness.
This field examines public perceptions, community attitudes, and the role of place attachment in the acceptance of renewable energy innovations like wind power. Research identifies key barriers including NIMBYism and equity concerns that affect local community support for sustainable energy projects. The topic encompasses 90,798 works with growth data unavailable over the past five years.
Topic Hierarchy
Research Sub-Topics
NIMBYism in Renewable Energy Projects
This sub-topic investigates Not-In-My-Backyard opposition to renewable installations, analyzing psychological, visual, and informational factors. Researchers study mitigation strategies like community benefit schemes and their effectiveness across regions.
Place Attachment and Energy Acceptance
This sub-topic explores how emotional bonds to place influence attitudes toward wind farms and solar projects. Researchers examine place identity, landscape change perceptions, and interventions to enhance positive place attachments.
Energy Justice in Renewable Transitions
This sub-topic covers distributional, recognition, and procedural justice dimensions in renewable energy siting and benefits sharing. Researchers analyze equity frameworks, low-income impacts, and policy designs for fair transitions.
Public Perceptions of Wind Power
This sub-topic studies attitudes toward onshore and offshore wind energy, including health concerns, economic benefits, and visual impact surveys. Researchers develop measurement scales and track longitudinal opinion changes.
Community Engagement in Energy Projects
This sub-topic examines participatory processes, benefit sharing models, and co-ownership in renewable projects. Researchers evaluate participation methods' impact on acceptance and long-term project viability.
Why It Matters
Social acceptance directly impacts the successful deployment of renewable energy projects, as opposition from communities can delay or halt wind farms and other installations. Devine‐Wright (2009) in "Rethinking NIMBYism: The role of place attachment and place identity in explaining place‐protective action" showed that place attachment drives place-protective actions against perceived threats from energy developments, with critiques of the NIMBY label highlighting deeper identity-based resistance. Wüstenhagen et al. (2007) in "Social acceptance of renewable energy innovation: An introduction to the concept" outlined market, community, and socio-political acceptance dimensions, demonstrating how addressing these enables faster transitions, as evidenced by community benefit schemes boosting support in wind projects. Jenkins et al. (2015) in "Energy justice: A conceptual review" emphasized procedural, distributional, and recognition justice, with real-world applications in policy design to mitigate conflicts, such as equitable revenue sharing that increased acceptance rates in UK onshore wind farms.
Reading Guide
Where to Start
"Social acceptance of renewable energy innovation: An introduction to the concept" by Wüstenhagen et al. (2007), as it provides the foundational framework distinguishing socio-political, community, and market acceptance, essential for understanding subsequent research.
Key Papers Explained
Wüstenhagen et al. (2007) in "Social acceptance of renewable energy innovation: An introduction to the concept" establishes core dimensions, which Devine‐Wright (2009) in "Rethinking NIMBYism: The role of place attachment and place identity in explaining place‐protective action" refines by critiquing NIMBYism through place identity lenses. Jenkins et al. (2015) in "Energy justice: A conceptual review" builds on these by introducing justice tenets to address acceptance gaps, while Geels (2014) in "Regime Resistance against Low-Carbon Transitions: Introducing Politics and Power into the Multi-Level Perspective" extends the framework to systemic resistance. Rowe and Frewer (2000) in "Public Participation Methods: A Framework for Evaluation" underpins participatory solutions across these works.
Paper Timeline
Most-cited paper highlighted in red. Papers ordered chronologically.
Advanced Directions
Research continues to explore regime resistance and justice in transitions, as in Geels (2014), with ongoing needs to quantify acceptance dynamics amid deployment challenges, though no recent preprints are available.
Papers at a Glance
| # | Paper | Year | Venue | Citations | Open Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Shared Socioeconomic Pathways and their energy, land use, ... | 2016 | Global Environmental C... | 6.0K | ✓ |
| 2 | Social acceptance of renewable energy innovation: An introduct... | 2007 | Energy Policy | 2.8K | ✕ |
| 3 | A review of intervention studies aimed at household energy con... | 2005 | Journal of Environment... | 2.6K | ✓ |
| 4 | Public Participation Methods: A Framework for Evaluation | 2000 | Science Technology & H... | 2.2K | ✕ |
| 5 | Barriers perceived to engaging with climate change among the U... | 2007 | Global Environmental C... | 2.0K | ✕ |
| 6 | Energy justice: A conceptual review | 2015 | Energy Research & Soci... | 1.7K | ✓ |
| 7 | Citizens, Experts, and the Environment | 2000 | — | 1.5K | ✕ |
| 8 | Regime Resistance against Low-Carbon Transitions: Introducing ... | 2014 | Theory Culture & Society | 1.5K | ✓ |
| 9 | Renewable energy and climate change | 2022 | Renewable and Sustaina... | 1.4K | ✕ |
| 10 | Rethinking NIMBYism: The role of place attachment and place id... | 2009 | Journal of Community &... | 1.4K | ✕ |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the concept of social acceptance in renewable energy?
Social acceptance refers to the approval of renewable energy innovations by the public, local stakeholders, investors, and policymakers. Wüstenhagen et al. (2007) in "Social acceptance of renewable energy innovation: An introduction to the concept" distinguish three dimensions: socio-political acceptance by the public and policymakers, community acceptance involving locals, and market acceptance by investors and enterprises. These dimensions collectively determine deployment success.
How does place attachment influence opposition to renewable energy projects?
Place attachment and place identity lead to place-protective actions against developments seen as threats to valued locations. Devine‐Wright (2009) in "Rethinking NIMBYism: The role of place attachment and place identity in explaining place‐protective action" critiques the NIMBY label, arguing it oversimplifies resistance driven by identity disruption from technologies like wind farms. Strong attachments amplify opposition when projects alter community character.
What role does energy justice play in social acceptance?
Energy justice addresses distributional, procedural, and recognition fairness in energy systems to enhance acceptance. Jenkins et al. (2015) in "Energy justice: A conceptual review" frame it as essential for low-carbon transitions, ensuring benefits and burdens are equitably shared. Policies incorporating justice principles reduce conflicts in renewable deployments.
What methods improve public participation in energy decisions?
Public participation methods range from hearings to consensus conferences to involve citizens in science and technology policy. Rowe and Frewer (2000) in "Public Participation Methods: A Framework for Evaluation" provide a framework evaluating these on dimensions like representativeness and impact. Effective methods build trust and increase acceptance of renewable projects.
Why do regimes resist low-carbon energy transitions?
Incumbent regime actors resist low-carbon transitions to protect established interests. Geels (2014) in "Regime Resistance against Low-Carbon Transitions: Introducing Politics and Power into the Multi-Level Perspective" integrates politics and power into transition theories, showing how landscape pressures challenge niches but face regime pushback. Overcoming this requires addressing power dynamics.
What are the current barriers to public engagement with renewable energy?
Barriers to engaging with climate change and renewables include perceptions of distance, fatalism, and distrust. Lorenzoni et al. (2007) in "Barriers perceived to engaging with climate change among the UK public and their policy implications" identify these among UK publics, recommending engagement strategies focused on local relevance. Tailored policies can overcome these to boost acceptance.
Open Research Questions
- ? How can place attachment be integrated into planning processes to minimize opposition to wind power projects?
- ? What specific procedural justice mechanisms most effectively enhance community acceptance of renewable energy deployments?
- ? In what ways do regime-level power structures block niche innovations in renewable energy transitions?
- ? How do intersecting factors of equity and NIMBYism vary across different cultural contexts for sustainable energy technologies?
- ? What metrics best measure the three dimensions of social acceptance over time in renewable energy markets?
Recent Trends
The field maintains 90,798 works with five-year growth data unavailable, reflecting sustained interest in public perceptions and community attitudes toward renewables like wind power.
No recent preprints or news coverage from the last six or twelve months indicate stable rather than rapidly expanding activity.
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