A New Approach to Renewable Energy Siting.
The MIT Renewable Energy Clinic integrates education with real-world research on renewable energy development and policy. Through coursework and applied research, students examine the regulatory, technical, and community challenges associated with renewable energy siting and the broader energy transition, gaining insight into how projects are planned, permitted, and implemented in practice.
Fragmented and Inequitable Siting Processes
Community concerns about renewable energy projects are often dismissed as mere NIMBYism, but our analysis shows that opponents frequently have legitimate reasons for their resistance.
Because existing siting regulations do not require new facilities to minimize, mitigate, or compensate for adverse impacts, affected communities organize in opposition.
The Clinical Approach: What Is It?
A university-based, clinical approach to renewable energy siting offers a novel way to mitigate siting disputes. It emphasizes collaborative problem-solving and promotes both procedural and distributive justice. Here's how it works:
University-Based Clinics:
Universities, starting with MIT, will host clinics that offer a neutral space for all parties involved in siting disputes to come together and work towards a siting plan that is beneficial for all.
Professional Mediation:
These clinics will partner with professional mediators to facilitate joint fact-finding and collaborative problem-solving.
Embracing Energy Justice:
The approach focuses on fairness, including distributional, procedural, and recognitional justice, ensuring that all stakeholders have an equal opportunity to participate.
Take the Course!
We currently offer MIT course 11.092 / 11.592, offered through the MIT Department of Urban Studies and Planning.
Students enrolled in the course conduct applied research on renewable energy siting, governance, and community engagement. Their work contributes to the Clinic’s ongoing analysis of renewable energy siting trends and outcomes across the United States.
The course follows a clinical model of learning by doing, where students engage in real-world research projects and collaborate with communities, policymakers, and other stakeholders to better understand renewable energy development challenges.
