Abstract
For the planning of the energy transition, decision-makers need to be aware of the public attitudes towards renewable energy technologies (RETs) and the impacts of such energy facilities from a population’s perspective. To facilitate the comparison of RET attitudes, a uniform survey design was used for four case studies (onshore wind, offshore wind, waste-to-energy, and biomass power) situated in the region of Flanders, Belgium. The survey analysis showed differences between the energy facilities with regard to the perceived impact on population health (combustion facilities were perceived more negatively) and landscape impact (wind energy facilities were perceived more negatively). All groups recognized the contribution of the RET facility to the economic development of the region. The effect of such local experiences on the overall evaluation of energy technologies was investigated using ordinal regression models. Personal experiences were found to be more meaningful predictors than socio-economic population characteristics or the proximity to the energy facility. In all investigated energy neighborhoods, the personal relationship of the participants to the landscape was a significant predictor of technology attitude. This points to the importance of investigating place attachment rather than pure visibility to understand the acceptability of land use for energy provision.
Highlights
This research explores the public attitudes towards different renewable energy technologies (RETs) and how the population experiences the impacts of such technologies in their neighborhoods
Studies focusing on RET acceptance and attitudes mostly cover only one specific technology by using methods and scales adapted to each case
A uniform survey design for energy project assessment is needed in order to establish a common basis for a comparison of RET types and energy landscapes
Summary
The issue of climate change dominates the discussion about the future development of the energy sector. While maintaining the same level and quality of energy supply, the mix of primary energy sources for the provision of energy has to undergo rapid changes to support the transition to a low-carbon economy as proposed by the European Green. With the transition to low-carbon energy sources, the type of technologies to generate energy and—most tangible for the population—the locations of energy generation will undergo structural changes. Decentralized energy generation and the connected infrastructure give rise to potential conflicts due to changing land use [2,3] and associated emissions [4]. It presents a development opportunity for the regional economy and contributes to long-term job creation [5,6]
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