Social acceptability of geothermal drilling: an empirical investigation

John A. Paravantis, Niκoletta Kontoulis and Vasileios Papakostas

Chapter 12 in The Social Acceptance of Renewable Energy Projects, 2026, pp 250-275 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This chapter explores the social dimensions of geothermal energy, focusing on public perceptions, acceptance, and attitudes related to deep geothermal drilling technologies. The main objective is to assess how the development and deployment of an innovative drilling method influence societal acceptance of geothermal energy. Here, “acceptance” encompasses both sociopolitical endorsement and community-level support. Given that geothermal operations can pose environmental, health, and economic risks, these concerns are examined as key elements in shaping public opinion. To investigate public acceptance of deep geothermal drilling, an online survey incorporating questions on the perceived environmental impacts of deep geothermal technologies was carried out in the context of ORCHYD, a Horizon 2020 project. This research contributes to an underexplored area by providing one of the few existing public opinion studies specifically targeting deep geothermal drilling. The survey included demographic questions and a series of Likert-scale items aimed at capturing Not-In-My-Backyard attitudes across multiple dimensions, such as technological risks, environmental and energy aspects, material use, socioeconomic and cultural considerations, and institutional and geopolitical factors. Responses were gathered from individuals in a range of countries and backgrounds. Multivariate statistical methods, including Principal Component Analysis and Cluster Analysis, were applied to uncover distinct patterns in public attitudes. The analysis revealed three clusters of societal perspectives, each reflecting unique viewpoints on geothermal drilling and energy more broadly. The chapter concludes with recommendations for improving public engagement and fostering greater acceptance of geothermal energy, drawing on the concept of energy tribes – groups characterized by shared environmental values and energy worldviews.

Keywords: Renewable energy; Geothermal energy; Social acceptance; Deep geothermal drilling; Principal Component Analysis; PCA; Cluster Analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035348749
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