Glück Auf: A communication strategy for ‘striking’ social acceptance of geothermal energy in the Netherlands

Geothermal energy is increasingly being explored as an attractive renewable energy source. In recent years several geothermal energy projects have been developed in the Netherlands reflecting growing governmental, industrial and scientific interests. Increasing the use of renewable energy is high on the policy agenda world wide. The degree varies to which governmental policies have been successful, but overall social acceptance has been recognized as crucial to the achievement of renewable energy targets. The Dutch geothermal community has also become aware of the need to take social awareness of its activities seriously, and the extent to which these activities are regarded as acceptable by lay publics. The Geothermal Energy Platform in its capacity of advocating geothermal energy and assisting geothermal project development has recognized the need to be prepared for the expected substantial rise in geothermal projects with the associated increase in the visibility of geothermal facilities, the public awareness of their presence and any disadvantages perceived to be involved. It has commissioned a communication strategy which is aimed at achieving social acceptance of geothermal energy and which takes into account the specific characteristics of this renewable energy source. Social acceptance is an often used term in the practical policy literature on renewable energy and has become a value-laden politicized concept with many dimensions. Despite a range of studies being carried out on public attitudes towards renewable energy technologies, genuine understanding of the dynamics of public acceptance remains elusive. From a citizen or consumer point of view, acceptance might signify positive approval, consent and active endorsement, but it might otherwise signify acquiescence, resignation and passive compliance because rejection or resistance is infeasible. From the standpoint of the advocate or promoter of a new technology, acceptance of any description might be sought, although it can be assumed that a more active form might be preferred by stakeholders because it appears to confer legitimacy. The first part of this report is devoted to uncovering the findings of psycho-social research into various aspects of social acceptance. By comparing the implementation processes of different but related renewable energy technologies clues have been found on societal developments which are considered relevant for geothermal energy. The various issues related to a geothermal project, i.e. topics that may be debated by stakeholders and may require settling, are grouped into three discourses: the siting discourse (where geothermal technology is experienced in terms of a proposed construction of a geothermal facility in a given locality); the energy-innovation discourse (where geothermal technology is experienced as an innovation that may or may not fit in with preferred ways of life); and the investment discourse (where geothermal technology is experienced as an investment opportunity that may be acceptable, or not, in the light of the possible gains it will produce). To establish what acceptance of renewable energy is in terms of a psycho-social phenomenon various models for the public acceptance of technology have been explored. From these models a communication framework has been developed that shows how social acceptance of geothermal energy may be created among stakeholders and how this process can be managed using a series of steps which are to be incorporated into the development process of a geothermal project. Effective communication is crucial to facilitating and maintaining the acceptance creation and management process. In the advisory second part of this report considerations and recommendations have been drafted on the elements of a communication strategy for geothermal projects. It is stressed that any communication process requires a thorough preparation in which communication objectives are established, a stakeholder analysis is performed, an approach to communication is determined, and messages are formulated. When considering communication objectives it is important to distinguish between acceptance and active support. Acceptance may signify positive approval, consent and active support, but also acquiescence, resignation and passive compliance; active support may be expressed by actual positive behavior toward the project: co-operation with project officials, agreement to publicly voice support, or some form of co-financing. A well executed stakeholder analysis provides information about interests, knowledge, attitudes, points of resistance with respect to the geothermal project, and relationships and co-operations between stakeholders. The leading approach for a communication strategy for a geothermal project is to take its societal surroundings seriously. Whether this is sufficiently accomplished depends on all parties involved and significantly determines the difference between resistance and acceptance. To take the project surroundings seriously has its consequences for not only the communication process but also the project development process itself. Key words for successful messages about geothermal energy are: concrete thinking, local significance and repetition. It is essential to present specific, preferably visible effects of geothermal energy which are of interest to the societal surroundings of the project. Demonstrable environmental effects appeal more than abstract issues, like global climate change. In addition it is important to connect effects to the local project area. This includes naming locations with issues or problems caused by the project. Such openness is not only important during the early developmental stages of a geothermal project, but also during its exploitation phase. Measuring a level of acceptability or evaluating a communication process aimed at its advancement is expected to be a precarious enterprise. Finally, various evaluation criteria are proposed concerning the transfer of information, the expression of support for contested issues, and the communication process itself.