Posters
Come meet the poster presenters to ask them questions and discuss their work
We would like to invite you to come and see the posters at our upcoming conference. The posters will showcase a diverse range of research topics, and will give delegates an opportunity to engage with the authors and learn more about their work. Whether you are a seasoned researcher or simply curious about the latest developments in your field, we believe that the posters will offer something of interest to everyone. So please join us at the conference and take advantage of this opportunity to learn and engage with your peers in industry and the academic community.
On 9 April at 17:15, we’ll also hold the main poster session and distinguish the 7 best posters of this year’s edition with our traditional Poster Awards Ceremony. Join us at the poster area to cheer and meet the laureates, and enjoy some drinks with all poster presenters!
We look forward to seeing you there!
PO037: The benefits of national social and environmental constraints mapping to support wind energy development
Christopher Hope, Principal Consultant, ERM
Abstract
While wind energy plays a crucial role in the global energy transition, wind energy projects frequently face concerns regarding their potential negative impacts on wildlife, ecosystems, and local communities. These impacts include issues such as land use conflict, bird and bat mortality, marine ecosystem disruptions, and visual pollution. Consequently, wind projects frequently encounter levels of opposition from key stakeholders which, if poorly managed, cause delays that hurt companies and slow the pace of the energy transition. Moreover, instances of opposition in one location can lead to copycat opposition in other locals, further exacerbating the matter. Within this context, this paper explores the value of Strategic Environmental and Social Assessments (SESAs) as a useful tool for companies and governments to strengthen wind energy development. SESAs are a national or regional mapping exercise of the principal environmental and social issues relevant to developing sectors, such as wind. Their aim is to pinpoint the most opportune locations for development (e.g. owing to an absence of migratory bird routes or a limited presence of local communities) and share that information with key stakeholders, to inform decision making. Based on previous experience of conducting SESAs, desk-based research and interviews with practitioners, this paper weighs the relative merits of the exercise. It then asserts that while SESAs can be resource-intensive, requires complex stakeholder coordination, they are a helpful tool for companies, lenders, and governments to navigate environmental, social, political and regulatory spaces for renewable energy development. By engaging in a robust research process that includes understanding environmentally sensitive areas, local sentiments towards wind energy projects and community expectations, SESAs consolidate information into a centralised platform in a manner that integrates various national, regional, and local perspectives. The paper concludes by offering recommendations to maximise the value that SESAs can provide in expanding wind energy development.
No recording available for this poster.
