Renewable Energy Plant Development, Historic Environments, and Local Communities: Lessons from the Greek Experience

Abstract

The development of renewable energy plants (REPs) is mostly seen from the technical, economic, and legal perspectives, with the cultural and social aspects often not being taken into account, sometimes resulting in a serious impact on the progress of the investment. This is particularly evident with historic environments, where local communities tend to have a negative attitude towards the development of REPs, causing severe delays and even the cancellation of the investment. This article examines the impact of REPs on historic environments in relation to the attitude of local communities, using a variety of case studies from Greece. The aim is to develop a new approach of broader applicability that would link the development of REPs to the protection of historic environments and the sustainable development of local communities, and then provide specific recommendations (consisting of practical steps) for the implementation of this approach to how a renewable energy project can succeed while at the same time respecting the historic environment and engaging the local community.