Work Package 2
On models of the public held by renewable energy stakeholders and as represented in the media
On models of the public held by renewable energy stakeholders and as represented in the media
The objective of this work package was to investigate how public engagement with RET has been constructed and represented in the UK.
WP 2.1: How do key stakeholders represent public engagement with renewables energy technologies?
This task adopted an inter-disciplinary approach to critically analyse how a diverse array of stakeholders (e.g. drawn from engineering, marketing/public relations, policy, developers and NGO sectors) conceived processes of public engagement with renewable energy technologies, including the extent to which ‘NIMBY’ ideas overlap and are used alongside more deliberative ideas. The study also identified how participants link constructions of the public to specific socio-technical pathways (e.g. moves from onshore to offshore wind energy developments).
The task had three phases: firstly, secondary analysis of relevant documents, secondly, the conducting of in-depth, semi-structured interviews (either by telephone or face-to-face) and, finally the conducting of a practitioner workshop.
2.1.1 Secondary data analysis
This work task had two phases. In the first phase, key energy policy documents (e.g. Energy White Paper and Energy Review) were analysed for the different ways in which ‘public engagement’ with renewable energy technologies is described and rhetorically communicated. In the second phase, a similar task was performed upon key renewable energy websites (e.g. those belonging to specific industry or NGO organisations).
2.1.2 Interview study
This consisted of preparatory work (assembling materials and reports, identifying potential interviewees); devising and piloting the interview schedule; arranging, conducting and transcribing 42 interviews; content analysis of interview transcripts and finally, interpretation of the data and reporting of results.
2.1.3 Practitioner workshop
Following completion of the interviews, a workshop was held to which all participants were invited. The purpose of the workshop was to generate further insights into the ways in which public engagement was constructed by different actors. Through the process of critical discussion, stimulated by presentations by the research team, participants commented upon the variety of approaches used and how such approaches could evolve to facilitate constructive dialogue and to reduce uncertainty in future renewable energy development.
2.2: How is public engagement with renewable energy technologies visually constructed and represented?
This work task consisted of the content analysis of a range of data sources including mass media advertising, satirical cartoons and artistic representations in different media, employing qualitative research techniques. It sought to identify the sensory, symbolic and emotional aspects of public engagement with renewable technologies. Specific tasks included:
2.2.1 Preparatory work (identifying and assembling materials and objects).
2.2.2 Devising the analytic framework for research.
2.2.3 Content analysis of materials and objects.
2.2.4 Interpretation and reporting.
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