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https://reneweconomy.com.au/the-uk-has-just-thrown-its-weight-behind-community-energy-australia-should-too/>
"The shift to renewable energy is not just a technological feat. It is one of
the most significant social changes regional Australia has navigated in
decades.
I recently published research examining the experiences and motivations of
people actively opposing renewable energy in western Victoria. It’s complex,
but common threads emerged: profound distrust toward those developing renewable
projects and policies; concerns about local impacts; a deep sense of lost
agency; and feelings of government overreach – particularly among those who
felt they had already had a gutful during COVID-19 lockdowns.
Opposition extends far beyond technical concerns about transmission towers and
turbines. It reflects a web of trust, social identity, place attachment and
community dynamics. For some, renewables are not just infrastructure. They are
symbolic of faraway decisions, with local impositions.
Ask communities, or experts in social licence, what makes a project less
polarising and the answers are consistent – trust, agency and a fair
distribution of benefits. Getting these right is highly localised. It depends
on relationships, history and identity. That makes it hard for newcomers to get
it right, be they developers, bureaucrats or transmission companies."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
