The Influence of Power on the Social Acceptance of Renewable Energy - A Case Study Analysis

Abstract

Despite having played a central role in industrialising society, fossil fuels have caused considerable environmental and climate damage. The urgency of transitioning to renewable energy is widely acknowledged, but the success of projects working toward that goal depends heavily on social acceptance. While the concept of social acceptance has been extensively studied in current literature, there is a lack of focus on the influence of power in shaping public support, demonstrating a critical gap in the literature.

This research explores the role of power in the social acceptance of renewable energy, using Windpark Zeewolde as a case study. Windpark Zeewolde is a large, community-led wind park located in Flevoland and is widely regarded as a bottom-up success. This case study provides an opportunity to explore how different forms of power can contribute to public support and acceptance. To explore this, this study uses Wüstenhagen et al. (2007)’s Social Acceptance Framework and Partzsch (2016)’s three dimensions of power: Power Over, Power With, and Power To.

The research employed a qualitative case study methodology, combining document analysis with 20 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders. Documents, including the Environmental Impact Assessment and legal rulings, were analysed, and the results underwent a thematic analysis using the analytical framework in NVIVO.

Findings show that power dynamics played a significant role in the park’s social acceptance. While the initiative was community-led, elements of domination, or ‘Power Over’, were prevalent when residents felt excluded or when hierarchical decision-making structures were identified. Secondly, whilst ‘Power With’ was evident through the collaborative structures such as De Nieuwe Molenaars and the financial participation structures, several interviewees critiqued the limited transparency of information and exclusivity of participation in decision-making meetings. Lastly, ‘Power To’ was prevalent in the accessible investment opportunities and community engagement, but there were doubts and questions about whether participation also led to meaningful influence over the outcome of the project.

This study offers implications for both research and practice. It emphasises the need to integrate power in social acceptance studies, as it can fundamentally shape participation and perceived fairness of the process. Simply offering participation opportunities is not sufficient to create feelings of agency and ownership. Furthermore, future research should examine the long-term social effects of renewable energy projects, especially when looking at the unequal distribution of financial benefits, which can lead to social tensions and exacerbate social divisions over time.