Factors Behind Local Acceptability of Marine Renewable Energy Projects and Perceived Preferences of Possible Co-Existence Options: Case Study of Marine Renewable Energy Development in Nagasaki, Japan

Abstract

This paper addresses factors underlying public opinion regarding offshore wind and tidal power projects based on a questionnaire survey, and interviews with local stakeholders and residents near a floating offshore wind pilot project and proposed commercial level offshore wind and tidal energy projects off the Goto city, Nagasaki prefecture in Japan. Further, this survey evaluated the stakeholder preference of possible co-benefit sharing and co-existence options which would increase the total local benefits using the Dempster Shafer Analytical Hierarchy Process (DS-AHP), a multi-criteria decision making model. The quantitative results of the questionnaire survey was backed by the qualitative reasoning which was extracted from the key informant interviews. Over 90% of the sample showed a reasonable knowledge about the on-going Marine Renewable Energy (MRE) projects in their area and indicated their support towards the development of the MRE sector. Impacts to the marine environment, impacts to the other marine users such as fisheries and tourism industry, job creation and economic impacts have been found to be frequently mentioned underlying factors for their acceptability decision. Among the supporters, 69.8% opted not to change their decision even after explaining potential negative impacts. Tidal generators showed a higher acceptability over wind turbines which is also explained by the reduction of the support with the visibility from the shore. Among the proposed co-existent strategies ‘using local resources to construct and operate the power plant’ and ‘using MRE structures to support local fisheries' showed a relatively higher preference.