Why are renewable energy projects so controversial?
Why are renewable energy projects so controversial?
Today, a majority of Americans support renewable energy. Yet research shows that hundreds of large-scale renewable energy projects have encountered significant opposition.
Today, a majority of Americans support renewable energy. Yet research shows that hundreds of large-scale renewable energy projects have encountered significant opposition.
Hundreds of projects have been paused, delayed, or canceled due to firm opposition.
Hundreds of projects have been paused, delayed, or canceled due to firm opposition.
Our mission is to pinpoint these key sources of opposition in order to foster a more inclusive and equitable process for developing renewable energy projects.
Our mission is to pinpoint these key sources of opposition in order to foster a more inclusive and equitable process for developing renewable energy projects.
Common Concerns
After conducting an in-depth study of more than 50 renewable energy projects, our Clinic traced these ongoing conflicts that arise between stakeholders and the public.
Environmental Concerns
Land Value
Public
Participation
Financial
Feasibility
Institutional Complexity
Tribal Rights
Health &
Safety
Intergovernmental Conflict
Environmental Concerns
Land Value
Public
Participation
Financial
Feasibility
Institutional Complexity
Tribal Rights
Health &
Safety
Intergovernmental Conflict
Environmental Concerns
Land Value
Public
Participation
Financial
Feasibility
Institutional Complexity
Tribal Rights
Health &
Safety
Intergovernmental Conflict
Siting Conflicts Database and Map
Our research team at MIT has created an open-access database describing a wide range of renewable energy siting conflicts. Start exploring below:
Our research team at MIT has created an open-access database describing a wide range of renewable energy siting conflicts. Start exploring below:
Research Workflow
Our research is client and community driven, focusing on issues that can strengthen a more collaborative approach to infrastructure and energy facility siting. By understanding the legitimate concerns of proponents and opponents, we can arrange alternative facility designs, financial structures, and compensation strategies that are informed by local interests and practices.
As a team, we believe in participatory action research and learning, engaging stakeholders at every step of our research process and maintaining transparency in data collection and data sovereignty.
How to Implement Effective Public Engagement
In this six-part video series, Professor Susskind explores how our clinic's approach to addressing opposition fosters meaningful public engagement in renewable energy siting, helping to accelerate delayed energy transitions.
Local Opposition over Renewable Energy Siting: An Introduction with Professor Susskind
Professor Susskind outlines the challenge of local opposition to renewable energy projects, such as industrial wind and solar installations. Here, he sets the stage for exploring strategies to resolve these disputes and the critical role non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can have in these solutions.
Understanding Why Local Opposition Occurs: Stepping into a Scenario with Prof. Susskind
Professor Susskind walks through a common scenario where rural and suburban communities develop opposition to renewable energy sites. Explore the roots of local opposition with Professor Susskind, and develop an understanding of the various perspectives community members may have in respect to the actions of private developers.
Exploring How Conflict Between State & Local Agencies Emerge
In this video, Professor Susskind examines how tensions arise between state and local agencies over renewable energy siting. He explores the role of community opposition from formed groups, lobbying for zoning changes, and the emergence of state-level preemption of local authority, with examples from New York, Michigan, and California.
Developing Meaningful Public Engagement: Professor Susskind outlines the Better Strategy
Professor Susskind introduces an alternative approach to resolving conflicts over renewable energy siting through meaningful public engagement. Through this video, obtain a deeper understanding of the role of mediators, the process of the stakeholder assessment, and strategies for ensuring every voice is heard in the decision-making process.
Achieving Consensus: Integrating Community Benefit Analysis for Effective Public Engagement
Professor Susskind explains how community benefits analyses and consensus-building processes can help resolve disputes over renewable energy siting. In this video, the role of facilitators, universities like MIT, and non-governmental organizations are highlighted.
Defining the Democratic Process: Making Renewable Energy Siting Just and Fair
Professor Susskind examines the principles of democratic public engagement in renewable energy siting, highlighting what makes such this process effective. This video emphasizes the planners’ responsibility to ensure a just energy transition and the importance of involving communities in designing, not just critiquing, decision-making frameworks.
Our research is client and community driven, focusing on issues that can strengthen a more collaborative approach to infrastructure and energy facility siting. By understanding the legitimate concerns of proponents and opponents, we can arrange alternative facility designs, financial structures, and compensation strategies that are informed by local interests and practices.
As a team, we believe in participatory action research and learning, engaging stakeholders at every step of our research process and maintaining transparency in data collection and data sovereignty.
Research Workflow
How to Implement Effective Public Engagement
In this six-part video series, Professor Susskind explores how our clinic's approach to addressing opposition fosters meaningful public engagement in renewable energy siting, helping to accelerate delayed energy transitions.
Local Opposition over Renewable Energy Siting: An Introduction with Professor Susskind
Professor Susskind outlines the challenge of local opposition to renewable energy projects, such as industrial wind and solar installations. Here, he sets the stage for exploring strategies to resolve these disputes and the critical role non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can have in these solutions.
Local Opposition over Renewable Energy Siting: An Introduction with Professor Susskind
Professor Susskind outlines the challenge of local opposition to renewable energy projects, such as industrial wind and solar installations. Here, he sets the stage for exploring strategies to resolve these disputes and the critical role non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can have in these solutions.
Understanding Why Local Opposition Occurs: Stepping into a Scenario with Prof. Susskind
Professor Susskind walks through a common scenario where rural and suburban communities develop opposition to renewable energy sites. Explore the roots of local opposition with Professor Susskind, and develop an understanding of the various perspectives community members may have in respect to the actions of private developers.
Understanding Why Local Opposition Occurs: Stepping into a Scenario with Prof. Susskind
Professor Susskind walks through a common scenario where rural and suburban communities develop opposition to renewable energy sites. Explore the roots of local opposition with Professor Susskind, and develop an understanding of the various perspectives community members may have in respect to the actions of private developers.
Exploring How Conflict Between State & Local Agencies Emerge
In this video, Professor Susskind examines how tensions arise between state and local agencies over renewable energy siting. He explores the role of community opposition from formed groups, lobbying for zoning changes, and the emergence of state-level preemption of local authority, with examples from New York, Michigan, and California.
Exploring How Conflict Between State & Local Agencies Emerge
In this video, Professor Susskind examines how tensions arise between state and local agencies over renewable energy siting. He explores the role of community opposition from formed groups, lobbying for zoning changes, and the emergence of state-level preemption of local authority, with examples from New York, Michigan, and California.
Developing Meaningful Public Engagement: Professor Susskind outlines the Better Strategy
Professor Susskind introduces an alternative approach to resolving conflicts over renewable energy siting through meaningful public engagement. Through this video, obtain a deeper understanding of the role of mediators, the process of the stakeholder assessment, and strategies for ensuring every voice is heard in the decision-making process.
Developing Meaningful Public Engagement: Professor Susskind outlines the Better Strategy
Professor Susskind introduces an alternative approach to resolving conflicts over renewable energy siting through meaningful public engagement. Through this video, obtain a deeper understanding of the role of mediators, the process of the stakeholder assessment, and strategies for ensuring every voice is heard in the decision-making process.
Achieving Consensus: Integrating Community Benefit Analysis for Effective Public Engagement
Professor Susskind explains how community benefits analyses and consensus-building processes can help resolve disputes over renewable energy siting. In this video, the role of facilitators, universities like MIT, and non-governmental organizations are highlighted.
Achieving Consensus: Integrating Community Benefit Analysis for Effective Public Engagement
Professor Susskind explains how community benefits analyses and consensus-building processes can help resolve disputes over renewable energy siting. In this video, the role of facilitators, universities like MIT, and non-governmental organizations are highlighted.
Defining the Democratic Process: Making Renewable Energy Siting Just and Fair
Professor Susskind examines the principles of democratic public engagement in renewable energy siting, highlighting what makes such this process effective. This video emphasizes the planners’ responsibility to ensure a just energy transition and the importance of involving communities in designing, not just critiquing, decision-making frameworks.
Defining the Democratic Process: Making Renewable Energy Siting Just and Fair
Professor Susskind examines the principles of democratic public engagement in renewable energy siting, highlighting what makes such this process effective. This video emphasizes the planners’ responsibility to ensure a just energy transition and the importance of involving communities in designing, not just critiquing, decision-making frameworks.
Research Workflow
Our research is client and community driven, focusing on issues that can strengthen a more collaborative approach to infrastructure and energy facility siting. By understanding the legitimate concerns of proponents and opponents, we can arrange alternative facility designs, financial structures, and compensation strategies that are informed by local interests and practices.
As a team, we believe in participatory action research and learning, engaging stakeholders at every step of our research process and maintaining transparency in data collection and data sovereignty.
How to Implement Effective Public Engagement
In this six-part video series, Professor Susskind explores how our clinic's approach to addressing opposition fosters meaningful public engagement in renewable energy siting, helping to accelerate delayed energy transitions.
Local Opposition over Renewable Energy Siting: An Introduction with Professor Susskind
Professor Susskind outlines the challenge of local opposition to renewable energy projects, such as industrial wind and solar installations. Here, he sets the stage for exploring strategies to resolve these disputes and the critical role non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can have in these solutions.
Understanding Why Local Opposition Occurs: Stepping into a Scenario with Prof. Susskind
Professor Susskind walks through a common scenario where rural and suburban communities develop opposition to renewable energy sites. Explore the roots of local opposition with Professor Susskind, and develop an understanding of the various perspectives community members may have in respect to the actions of private developers.
Exploring How Conflict Between State & Local Agencies Emerge
In this video, Professor Susskind examines how tensions arise between state and local agencies over renewable energy siting. He explores the role of community opposition from formed groups, lobbying for zoning changes, and the emergence of state-level preemption of local authority, with examples from New York, Michigan, and California.
Developing Meaningful Public Engagement: Professor Susskind outlines the Better Strategy
Professor Susskind introduces an alternative approach to resolving conflicts over renewable energy siting through meaningful public engagement. Through this video, obtain a deeper understanding of the role of mediators, the process of the stakeholder assessment, and strategies for ensuring every voice is heard in the decision-making process.
Achieving Consensus: Integrating Community Benefit Analysis for Effective Public Engagement
Professor Susskind explains how community benefits analyses and consensus-building processes can help resolve disputes over renewable energy siting. In this video, the role of facilitators, universities like MIT, and non-governmental organizations are highlighted.
Defining the Democratic Process: Making Renewable Energy Siting Just and Fair
Professor Susskind examines the principles of democratic public engagement in renewable energy siting, highlighting what makes such this process effective. This video emphasizes the planners’ responsibility to ensure a just energy transition and the importance of involving communities in designing, not just critiquing, decision-making frameworks.
