3rd International Conference on Ocean Energy, 6 October, Bilbao Toward Best Practices for Public Acceptability in Wave Energy: Issues Developers Need to Address 1 2,3 M. A. Stefanovich and J. Fernández Chozas 1Environmental Sciences Graduate Program Oregon State University, Corvallis 97331, Oregon, USA E-mail:
[email protected] 2SpokApS, Blegdamsvej 4, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark 3 Department of Civil Engineering, Aalborg University Sohngaardholmsvej 57, 9000 Aalborg, Denmark E-mail:
[email protected] Abstract communities, the way they approach these communities will leave a long-lasting impression about At this initial stage of development, opinion the sector as a whole. Thus, developers act as good-will toward wave energy is mainly positive. Interviews ambassadors not only for their own projects, but also with developers, presentations about wave energy at for the WE sector. This article focuses on the issues local community meetings, and the literature show developers need to address when discussing WE that there are four main types of issues developers projects with local communities to achieve more need to address when discussing their projects with efficiently public acceptability. local populations: conflict of use of the ocean space, Public acceptability is not a new phenomenon - it environmental impact, NIMBY (Not in My Back has often been encountered with the adoption of new Yard), and community well-being concerns. The technologies, the placing of architectural monuments importance of these issues is presented and and works of art in public locations. Most of it has to suggestions for best ways to approach them are do not so much with the form or function of the new provided.