MS#09.2 Social science for collaborative wind energy planning and participation

S. TEGEN¹, G. HÜBNER², M. DE SAIN³, J. ASTON⁴
¹ Associate Director, Center for the New Energy Economy, Colorado State University, US | IEA Wind Social Science task cooperating agent.|² Head of Research group Health and Environmental Psychology of Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Germany.|³ Strategic Renewable Energy Consultant, Pondera Consult, The Netherlands. |⁴ Founder, Earning Local Support Academy, Ireland | IEA Wind Social Science task cooperating agent

Policy, economics, planification and environmental impacts

As the global transition towards renewable energy accelerates, wind energy stands at the forefront of sustainable solutions. Yet, its deployment presents societal challenges, revealing that wind energy projects are deeply rooted in social contexts and community dynamics - not solely technical endeavours. Recognising this, this mini-symposium - compiled by social scientists and practitioners from across the globe within the framework of the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Technological Collaboration Programme’s (TCP) research tasks - aims to explore how social science research and insights can be leveraged to design and implement wind energy projects that are fair, just, value-adding, and aligned with the interests of both developers and host communities. Thereby ensuring local community support - and a resulting greater project permitting success rate.

Objectives:

  • Examine social science's critical role in wind energy deployment, leveraging opportunities for trust-building, host community engagement, and shared value. Findings from international studies and practical experiences demonstrating innovative and effective strategies for collaboration between developers, communities, and authorities will be presented.
  • Offer actionable insights by providing tools and methodologies to enhance planning and participation.
  • Integrate multidisciplinary perspectives by incorporating findings from IEA Wind TCP Tasks on Social Science, Quiet Wind, Cost & Value, and Environmental aspects, among others.

Structure:

The symposium comprises seven sessions addressing key themes:

1. Introduction: necessity of integrating social science

  • Overview of core issues.
  • Importance and benefits of integrating social science from the outset.
  • The costs of not integrating social science.

2. Socio-Enviro-Technical collaboration

  • Exploring social, environmental, and technical interplay.
  • Addressing impacts like noise; measuring and mitigating effects.
  • Collaborative case studies.

3. Local engagement and approval

  • Comparing relevant planning processes components across countries.
  • Governance for effective community engagement and participatory decision-making.
  • How participatory planning mitigates negative reactions.

4. Impact of organisational culture

  • How organisational culture affects community relations.
  • The power of transparency and mutual respect.
  • Potential for community-developer teams.

5. Project participation and business models

  • Innovative financial models for mutual benefit.
  • Impact of financial (and other) participation on acceptance.
  • Cost of neglecting meaningful engagement.

6. Tools to improve planning experiences

  • Presenting tools and technologies (such as gamification) to enhance stakeholder dialogue and collaboration.

7. Wrap-up session: addressing unresolved challenges

  • Summary plus open forum to discuss unresolved issues.
  • Seven recommended practices.
  • Future research and collaboration opportunities.

Format:

  • Duration: 420 minutes (~20 presentations).
  • Presentation styles: Varied presentation styles, with a tendency towards Flash Talks (brief, focused presentations of around 10 minutes to stimulate discussion).
  • Participant Interaction: interactive Q&A sessions, networking opportunities, and breakout discussions to facilitate collaboration.
  • Key questions wall: Participants record and rank core issues.

Diversity and Representation:

Diverse perspectives are represented, including voices from historically underrepresented groups (e.g. host communities). This commitment will guide our selection of speakers and contributors, promoting inclusivity, gender diversity, and a wide range of experiences.

Follow-Up Actions:

Plan ongoing collaborations, joint publications, and future engagements, thereby significantly contributing to the integration of social science with technical, economic, and environmental sciences in wind energy deployment. By fostering social support for projects, alongside technical and economical viability, this mini-symposium aims to maximise wind energy's contribution to global climate targets.

Published on November 13, 2024 Updated on November 20, 2024