The CROWDTHERMAL Project: Creating Public Acceptance of Geothermal Energy and Opportunities for Community Financing (original) (raw)
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Towards social acceptance of geothermal energy power plants
2019
Social acceptance is practically a prerequisite for the promotion and successful implementation of geothermal power production projects. Achieving social acceptance can empower trust between the developers/ operators and the local communities, reduce costly reactions/ conflicts/ time delays and strengthen companies' acceptance in relation to the implementation of the project. In order to achieve social acceptance, it is required to guarantee that local communities agree with the implementation of the project. The present study aims to present a framework including the best practices related to achieving social acceptance of geothermal power plant projects, taking into account all the work presented so far worldwide. The three pillars of this framework are a) engagement, b) prevention of drastic changes to the existing conditions and c) provision of benefits to the local communities.
Understanding Social Acceptance of Geothermal Energy: A Case Study from Mt. Lawu, Indonesia
IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 2019
Geothermal energy in Indonesia holds important role in country's transformations into renewable energy to ensure clean, reliable, and sustainable energy sources. In order to optimize geothermal energy project, it is important to consider the balance of economy, socio-cultural, and environmental aspects. The socio-cultural aspect is critical in the public acceptance of the project and overcome the social resistance. Understanding citizen's preferences towards the development of geothermal energy leads to the greater understanding of what shapes of strategies and policies should be taken in the project. Based on the interviews with local communities, they reject the construction of geothermal power plants in Mt. Lawu because they think geothermal power plants will give negative impacts to cultural, environmental, economic, and social life aspects in society. This perception may appear because of the lack of understanding of geothermal energy.
International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning, 2022
The Indonesian government is pushing for an increase in the development of geothermal power plants. West Sumatra is one of twenty provinces in Indonesia that have geothermal potential. The government has given the company permission to develop geothermal potential in two districts in West Sumatra. Phase I development has been successfully carried out in South Solok Regency, while Solok Regency has experienced problems. Social acceptance is one of the determining factors for the success of the project development. This article aims to look at the perspectives of stakeholders around the geothermal field, and analyze the social acceptance of a geothermal power plant project in West Sumatra. This research uses case study research method. Data collection is done by interview, observation, and document studies (such as Environmental Impact Assessment documents, government regulations on geothermal, and local media news). The results show that there are variations in stakeholder perspectives regarding geothermal power plants. Public acceptance of the geothermal power plant in South Solok Regency is relatively good because the company positions the surrounding community as partners. Social acceptance at the project site in Solok Regency was relatively weak and there was a resistance movement. Socio-political acceptance (by various stakeholders such as the Provincial Government, Regency Government, Nagari Government, and Regional House of Representatives) tends to be substantial due to the multiplier effect of development. This study has limitations in looking at the dynamics of local politics, which are the determinants of support, and the readiness of the Regional Government to face the rejection phenomenon at the local level. This is an input for further research, because in this study it was found that social acceptance requires the support and readiness of the Regional Government. So that the rejection by the local community can be resolved, so that the extraction of electrical energy goes according to the government's target, and the rights of the local community in the project site area are fulfilled.
Understanding social acceptance of geothermal energy: Case study for Araucanía region, Chile
Geothermics, 2018
This research aims to explore public views and social attitudes toward the use of geothermal energy as a heating and electricity source in an area where the geothermal energy production technology has yet to be widely introduced. This case study focuses on the community that surrounds the Villarrica Volcano in the Araucania region of Chile. This area is considered to be one of the six high enthalpy geothermal zones in the Chilean Andes with the highest potential for geothermal energy production but actual production is nearly non-existent. Taking a risk communication approach, this research includes in-depth semi-structured interviews with local stakeholders. It suggests that there is a low level of understanding of the technology involved in geothermal energy production, and it highlights social barriers such as lack of trust, spiritual relationship to volcanoes, and uncertainty about environmental impact as factors that affect risk and public perception.
Geothermal technology in Australia: Investigating social acceptance
Energy Policy, 2011
Issues of social acceptance, such as lack of awareness and negative community perceptions and reactions, can affect low emission energy technology development, despite general support observed for reducing carbon emissions and mitigating climate change. Negative community reactions and lack of understanding have affected geothermal developments, as demonstrated by the fearful community reactions and negative media experienced in response to seismic disturbances caused by “hot rock” geothermal energy generation in Switzerland and Germany. Focusing on geothermal energy, this paper presents the results of using a participatory action research methodology to engage diverse groups within the Australian public. A key finding is that the majority of the Australian public report limited the knowledge or understanding of geothermal technology and have various concerns including water usage and seismic activity instigated by geothermal drilling. However, geothermal energy receives general support due to a common trend to champion renewable energy sources in preference to traditional forms of energy generation and controversial technologies. This paper also demonstrates the effectiveness of using an engagement process to explore public understanding of energy technologies in the context of climate change, and suggests a way forward for governments and industry to allocate resources for greatest impact when communicating about geothermal technology.► Majority of Australians have limited knowledge or understanding of geothermal technology. ► Various concerns, including water usage and seismic activity instigated by drilling, were raised. ► Geothermal energy has general support due to a common trend to champion renewable energy sources. ► Methodology shows the effectiveness of an engagement process to explore public understanding. ► Participants expressed intention to change behaviours, which can be a catalyst for change.
Assessment of social acceptance of geothermal energy exploitation in southern Italy
This paper presents the preliminary results of a cultural and social acceptability assessment of geothermal energy exploitation in southern Italy; this research was carried out in the frame of the national project "VIGOR" led by CNR (Italian National Research Council) and the Italian Ministry of Economic Development to investigate the potentials of geothermal energy exploitation in southern Italy. The research was designed as a case study and carried out in the province of Palermo, Sicily, where CNR has conducted geological prospecting in order to establish the geothermal potential in the area of Termini Imerese.
Innovative Process for Engaging Stakeholders in the Formation of Policy for Geothermal Developments
CEPSI 2008 Conference Proceedings, 2008
INNOVATIVE PROCESS FOR STAKEHOLDER ENGAGMENT TO INFORM THE DEVELOPMENT OF GEOTHERMAL POLICY Dr S Hinchliffe SKM Mr J Lawless SKM Mr G Lee SKM Sinclair Knight Merz Ltd., PO Box 3848, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Key Words: Geothermal, HDR, policy, consultation, sustainability. ABSTRACT The adaptation of drilling technologies and the discovery of significant Hot Rock (HR) and Hot Subterranean Aquifer (HAS) geothermal resources in Australia has seen the development of a nascent Australian geothermal industry with some 21 companies holding licences for exploration and or heat extraction from these reserves. It is estimated that there are sufficient reserves to provide renewable, clean, base load power to meet Australia’s energy demand several times over. While some forms of geothermal energy are mature and commercial, Australian reserves, geology and characteristics are different to existing developments and therefore unproven. Hence, significant development in drilling and stimulation technologies, resource assessment, transmission interconnection are required to prove these resources to be viable and practicable. Thus industry faces a number of challenges: technical, environmental, regulatory, financial (institutional capability approvals) and legislative. These include different treatment of permitting across the different states, different treatment of indigenous community rights, high cost of project finance capital (due to the ‘unproven’ nature of the technology as a whole), tightening labour markets and equipment shortages and remoteness. This paper explores the processes developed and undertaken to engage all potential stakeholders in this new industry: industry players; related industries (such as oil and gas explorers); financial institutions; law firms; community groups; government and government officials, to identify raise and discuss issues that might impede the rapid development of the industry. As well as to identify and adopt/adapt solutions and expertise that already exists in other industries to avoid the industry “re-inventing the wheel”. The result being a series of key and fully auditable recommendations that has aided informed, co-ordinated policy making within government across the areas of: Technology; Research, training and skills development Legislative and regulatory framework; Private and public financing structures; and Community concerns. As well as outlining the processes developed, we report on the success of the methodology in gaining input from all relevant sources, in increasing the ‘knowledge base’ amongst stakeholders and in identifying key recommendations to support the development of a sustainable and sizeable geothermal industry in Australia. Finally, we outline possible improvements to the methodology and discuss other potential areas for its application in overcoming barriers to implementation of sustainable energy technologies.
Knowledge of Local Communities Affected by the Development of Geothermal Energy
IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 2020
Geothermal, in global discourse, is approved as renewable and environmentally friendly energy. This has made rapid developments in recent years, one of which is in Indonesia. Even so, this discourse was not well explored for the local community. Thus, they do not get the correct information about this energy. This research aims to study people’s perceptions about the development of geothermal energy. This research is a case study in Pauh Duo Subdistrict, Solok Selatan Regency, Indonesia, where the MuaraLaboh geothermal power plant was developed. We use descriptive quantitative methods and are supported by survey methods to get people’s opinions about the development of geothermal energy. The results show the fact that people still have limited knowledge about geothermal energy. This is caused by the lack of socialization by the government or companies regarding geothermal energy.