On November 28th, 2024, CSEI hosted an insightful workshop focused on the public acceptance and stakeholder engagement of energy infrastructure. Held at Station in Frederiksberg, the event brought together experts and participants to discuss the critical role of public and political engagement in achieving climate goals and transitioning to net-zero energy systems.
The workshop featured two main sessions. The first session, “Local Engagement” included presentations from Simon Lex (Copenhagen University), Jakob Carstensen (Rambøll), and Michael Jesberger (TransnetBW).
This session highlighted that local engagement at the planning and implementation stage is crucial to public acceptance of energy infrastructure. The presentations and discussions covered elements such as community engagement and resistance, early stage work to gain community support, and the role of communication in project success.
The second session, “Policy and Regulatory Frameworks for Public Acceptance,” featured insights from Andreas Kaiser (DG Energy), Aad Correljé (TU Delft), and Kristy Louise Rhades (ACER). The focus of this session wasthe involvement of policy makers and the role of societal trends in public acceptance. We discussed the European Commission’s recommendations for early stage public engagement, the historically gradual work of changing people’s perceptions about new technologies, and the role of ACER and national regulators in stakeholder engagement policy.
The event concluded with a lively discussion and reflections on the day’s topics, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and acceptance at all levels to successfully implement diverse energy technologies. We would like to thank our speakers and participants for a great workshop and look forward to continuing these important discussions with you.