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.
PO026: Problem addressed: More and more technically and financially viable projects are failing for social reasons
John Aston, Managing Director, Earning Local Support Academy
Abstract
Problem. As more projects are proposed in shared spaces, many markets see a large share of wind proposals failing to secure permits – often for social, not technical, reasons. In some countries, investors report that only about one-third of wind projects secure permits. One of the main reasons for this is that status-quo “DAD” (Decide–Announce–Defend) project development approaches make communities feel sidelined, fuel mistrust, and leave collaboration opportunities untapped. Problem statement: a developer–host community disconnect – driven by differing goals, assumptions, and the absence of early, meaningful engagement – leads to opposition, delays, and missed targets. Solution. Embrace collaborative goal-setting and design from the outset so developers and host communities work as partners on shared priorities, aligning projects – that deliver on national energy goals – with local needs to move through planning faster and with fewer appeals. Our research – combining social science with engineering and co-financed by the Irish Government – operationalises this via the Renewables AT PACE framework: six steps sequenced within Two Steps to Success. First, show up well (Anchor, Transition, Partner); then, work well together (Acknowledge, Collaborate, Empower). AT PACE elevates host-community support as a fourth pillar alongside technical, financial, and legal, and helps teams navigate trust checkpoints and a Partnership/Overlap Zone where shared decisions and trade-offs are addressed. This talk sets out a concrete playbook for developers, authorities, and communities to co-design projects that deliver what each party needs. It demonstrates how the approach is immediately usable pre-planning and indicates when a Trusted Intermediary (TI) can add value in more complex contexts.
No recording available for this poster.
