PEARLS · PLANNING AND ENGAGEMENT ARENAS FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY LANDSCAPES

PLANNING AND ENGAGEMENT ARENAS FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY LANDSCAPES

- What is the issue being addressed? The goal of the Energy Challenge is to reinforce public engagement in support of renewable energies. Renewable energy and energy behaviour are the two points of energy policy that underpin the Social Science approach to bringing change to the energy model. The EU’s commitment to a low-carbon economy turns the spotlight on renewable energy landscapes as many of these are large-scale projects introducing changes in the relationship between people and their landscapes. In sharp contrast to some of the analysed cases in Central and Northern Europe, where large numbers of people oppose renewable energy landscapes, in Southern European countries there is widespread acceptance of renewable energy landscapes. Recognition of this divergence to showcase the value of citizens’ acceptance of these landscapes in Southern European countries ad Israel is at the root of the PEARLS Project. - Why is it important for society? An overarching approach to the implementation of renewable energy landscapes and the prominence to the population’s role in promoting renewable energies are facts before to the Energy Transition challenge. To reach these, research concepts (renewable energy landscapes; public participation; a sense of place; place attachment; cultural and regional differences and collective aspirations) and formulae for public participation in spatial planning and as actors in social innovation are needed. It is important to support the reformulation of the current energy system as a more citizen-oriented system, putting society’s issues and/or concerns at the top of the list of priorities. Other important premise is that renewable energy implementation must overcome current obstacles to change in energy consumption models. So, an analysis of the relationships between people and their acceptance of renewable energy landscapes is essential to cement people’s commitment to the Pan-European Energy Challenge. - What are the overall objectives? PEARLS’ main objective is to contribute to the acceptance of renewable energy landscapes through the formulation of participative and sustainable energy policies. The project enhances the development of researchers’ and technical personnel’s research and innovation capacities and/or abilities through staff exchange and collaborative research combining social and technological aspects of the energy challenge. PEARLS is designed as a Southern European and Israeli instrument for renewable energy landscape good practices to the rest of the world. A second objective is to give a boost to the social dimension of renewable energy landscapes by implementing spatial planning and social innovation-based methodological and analytical strategies. The transfer of knowledge to citizens by scientific institutions and companies is key from the Social Sciences focus.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union