Social acceptance of renewable energy technologies: a multidisciplinary approach. The role of contextual and psychological factors in promoting justice and equity

Marco Modica and Andrea Rampa

Chapter 2 in The Social Acceptance of Renewable Energy Projects, 2026, pp 29-49 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: The social acceptability of renewable energy projects is a complex issue influenced by various factors, including socio-economic conditions, cultural values, and political dynamics. Drawing on different disciplines like sociology, psychology, economics, and political science, we claim that a multidisciplinary approach is essential to understanding the complex role that social acceptability plays (and then the more general aspect of social acceptance). Considering each project's specificity in terms of historical, economic, and social characteristics might help to better understand the factors that influence public opinion. Following a multidisciplinary approach leads to discussing several key factors influencing public acceptance, such as power dynamics, procedural justice, distributional justice, and timing dynamics. Power dynamics address the power relationships between stakeholders, including local communities, developers, and policymakers; procedural justice is related to the definition of fair and transparent decision-making processes involving public participation and consultation; distributional justice is meant to provide equitable distribution of costs and benefits among communities and individuals subject to them, including financial and community ownership of these. Finally, timing dynamics is intended as the evolution of the process over time, including community and stakeholders in making decisions.

Keywords: Social acceptability; Renewable energy; Power dynamics; Longitudinal research; Participatory processes (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035348749
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