Preparing AWES Deployment by Onboarding RE Stakeholders with Regards to Social Acceptance

Abstract

Airborne wind energy (AWE) is about to become a key element in the future energy system. Due to the high resource potential and the low material consumption, it is one of the most promising technologies to provide reliable renewable energy, bringing down energy cost at the same time. However, by now the social acceptance of AWE systems (AWES) is largely unknown. In order to evaluate stakeholder positions and foster their involvement to prepare for commercialization and large scale deployment of AWES, Airborne Wind Europe aims to involve not only in stakeholder engagement but also to actively communicate the need of action on all levels. In October 2021, Task 48 on Airborne Wind Energy was established within the IEA Wind TCP framework. One of the work packages focuses on the social acceptance, also with regards to the limits, the deployment of wind turbines faces today, due to obstructions by citizens, refusing renewable technologies as such or individually suffering their impact. To early and appropriately address such issues, Airborne Wind Europe got involved in research projects, like the JustWind4All Horizon Europe project, that aims to integrate insights from different academic disciplines and societal perspectives, supporting synergies and exchange among people and organisations to coordinate and participate in actions around wind energy deployment. The project aims for findings to implement just and effective governance for accelerating wind energy. Another approach to evaluating the future landscape of integrated renewable energy is conducted within the project GrowFlowFly, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economics and Climate Action to explore the Acceptance potential for area-extensive renewables such as Agri PV, Floating PV, and AWE compared to established renewable energy technologies. Implementing a gamification approach by developing a GIS-based augmented reality surrounding, focussing coal downstream areas, incorporating the view of landscape architects, psychologists and other research fields, social acceptance factors, like land use and landscape changes are to be addressed with regard to the following questions:

• safeguarding food production
• nature conservation and ecology
• landscape image with the new visual perspectives of fields, skyline, sky, water
• enjoyment of nature, experience and recreation
• regional and local identity.

The presentation will give an insight of the latest findings and milestone achievements from all activities, providing proof and inspiration to obtain and maintain AWES research and deployment.