Social Dimensions of Renewable Energy Project Acceptance: Exploring Local Perceptions in Nova Scotia

Abstract

This thesis explores the social dimensions of renewable energy project acceptance through semi-structured interviews (n=11) with participants associated with planned wind projects in Nova Scotia. For the renewable energy transition to be lasting and ethical, attention must be paid to the viewpoints of the stakeholders who are expected to live closest to developments. Interviews were themed around concepts of participation, justice and fairness, and attachments to local communities and environments. Results indicate that direct participation in project planning is less valuable to local community stakeholders than a planning process that respects their input and allows for altering project process outcomes. Personalized engagements based around open dialogues and willingness to compromise are identified as particularly valued traits for a socially acceptable planning process. Failure to heed the concerns of stakeholders runs the risk of enkindling wind energy project resistance in local communities and the wider province.