The green divide: renewable energy shaping community coherence

Abstract

While renewable energy (RE) is crucial for the green transition, this contribution sheds light on how the process of proposing and implementing RE projects negatively impacts community coherence. The paper discusses the complexities of implementing RE projects in local communities in Denmark, indicating that while they can interact positively with communities, RE projects often divide communities rather than unite them. To explore how RE initiatives affect community coherence, an analysis of the social dynamics within communities affected by renewable energy projects is provided. The study identifies key factors contributing to the loss of coherence in local communities affected by RE projects. These include distributional justice concerns, such as individual impacts on health, safety, and the economy, as well as procedural justice issues, like the effects of non-transparent decision-making processes on community cohesion. The study shows that the lack of a supportive institutional framework for transparent decision-making allows individual concerns to outweigh the collective aspirations of the community, contributing further to fragmentation.