Social acceptance of renewable energy innovation: An introduction to the concept

This paper introduces the special issue on Social Acceptance of Renewable Energy Innovation. It is a collection of best papers presented at an international research conference held in Tramelan (Switzerland) in February 2006. While there are ambitious government targets to increase the share of rene...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Energy policy 2007-05, Vol.35 (5), p.2683-2691
Main Authors: Wüstenhagen, Rolf, Wolsink, Maarten, Bürer, Mary Jean
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Diffusion of innovation
Economic data
Energy
Energy economics
Energy policy
Exact sciences and technology
General, economic and professional studies
Innovation diffusion
International conferences
Natural energy
Renewable energy sources
Social acceptance
Wind energy
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Summary:This paper introduces the special issue on Social Acceptance of Renewable Energy Innovation. It is a collection of best papers presented at an international research conference held in Tramelan (Switzerland) in February 2006. While there are ambitious government targets to increase the share of renewable energy in many countries, it is increasingly recognized that social acceptance may be a constraining factor in achieving this target. This is particularly apparent in the case of wind energy, which has become a subject of contested debates in several countries largely due to its visual impact on landscapes. This paper introduces three dimensions of social acceptance, namely socio-political, community and market acceptance. Factors influencing socio-political and community acceptance are increasingly recognized as being important for understanding the apparent contradictions between general public support for renewable energy innovation and the difficult realization of specific projects. The third dimension, market acceptance, has received less attention so far and provides opportunities for further research, particularly from management scholars.
ISSN:0301-4215
1873-6777
DOI:10.1016/j.enpol.2006.12.001