TY - CONF
TI - Stakeholder Perceptions of the Wave Hub Development in Cornwall, UK.
AU - West, J
AU - Bailey, I
AU - Whithead, I
T2 - 8th European Wave and Tidal Energy Conference (EWTEC 2009)
AB - Despite a growing body of research examining stakeholder perceptions of offshore wind-farms, little social research has focused on offshore wave energy devices. With the Wave Hub project proposed for Hayle Bay, Cornwall, in 2010, it is apparent that even developments that are ‘out of sight, out of mind’ still require extensive stakeholder engagement if opposition is to be reduced. Findings from ongoing research into stakeholder perceptions of marine renewable energy suggest that the science underpinning these devices needs to be more robust and clearly articulated, with baseline data accounting for temporal shifts in marine environments, to allay stakeholder concerns. There also needs to be realistic information by project proponents on the local benefits of the Wave Hub project, as many stakeholders feel the public will be disappointed if benefits are artificially inflated. The Wave Hub also creates a quandary for some stakeholders who see supporting the Wave Hub as paving the way for widespread deployment of marine renewables, leading to significant impacts on marine environments. The more general findings from the study are that it cannot be assumed that ‘out of sight’ means ‘out of mind’ or that the same opposition factors identified for offshore wind developments apply to wave and tidal devices.
DA - 2009/09//
PY - 2009
SP - 1102
EP - 1111
PB - Uppsala universitet
LA - English
KW - Fixed Offshore Wind
KW - Stakeholder Engagement
ER -