Abstract
A worldwide introduction of renewable energy has been required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Concomitantly, this has caused conflict between renewable energy development and local communities over landscape changes. This study aims to clarify the factors of conflict and find a way of conflict management. A case study on Japan is used, where a solar rush occurred due to the feed-in tariff (FIT) system. We analyze the public reasons to worry about renewable energy and the spatial characteristics of its locations. A socio-spatial approach is used by first utilizing a qualitative survey based on questionnaires and interviews with the local governments to understand the awareness regarding the issues, and then utilizing a quantitative survey on the location changes to solar power by using GIS. The results suggest that there were links between local governments’ concerns and the location of solar power concentration. These results show that conflicts over renewable energy are not unavoidable and may be managed by local governments that can act as intermediaries with sufficient knowledge of the local communities.
Highlights
Renewable energy is the key to reducing greenhouse gas emissions due to the use of fossil fuels.In further promoting the adoption of renewable energy, two types of barriers must be overcome
The second most serious issue was the increase in risks of disasters such as landslides caused by cutting down forests to install solar power equipment
The results of our research revealed that the introduction of the feed-in tariff (FIT) system in Japan caused a concentration of solar power in peri-urban agricultural areas
Summary
Renewable energy is the key to reducing greenhouse gas emissions due to the use of fossil fuels.In further promoting the adoption of renewable energy, two types of barriers must be overcome. The development of technology, such as equipment that enhances the efficiency of energy production and research in intelligent design, is progressing rapidly. The latest research proposes renewable energy as a green infrastructure [1]. It takes a considerable amount of time to determine how to solve social issues such as negative impressions and the opposition to and rejection of renewable energy by local communities. Due to the difficulty in solving conflicts between those developing renewable energy and the local communities, many renewable energy facilities are still operating in the face of conflict. Frolova et al [2] point out that in European countries, various renewable energy technologies have affected land use and the landscape, based on a review of
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