The Social Acceptance of Renewable Energy Projects

This timely book analyses why various communities support or oppose low-carbon projects in light of the global shift towards renewable energy. It presents a wide range of cases and disciplinary perspectives to explore how trust, fairness and meaningful participation shape public responses to wind, solar, hydro and bioenergy.Leading scholars examine how community approval depends not only on technical design or environmental performance, but on how projects align with local values and regional identities. They explore the key levers of social acceptance, including participation, governance and justice alongside controversies, resistance and territorial anchoring. By drawing on empirical case studies across diverse technologies and locations, this book demonstrates how successful sustainable energy transitions require more than just consent: they require a form of shared involvement that gives communities a real role in shaping outcomes.This book is beneficial to scholars and students in the fields of environmental and energy studies, as well as human geography, sociology and political science. It is also an essential resource for policymakers, researchers and energy professionals looking to understand the social dimensions of renewable energy.