Exploring Project Acceptability
for a Large-Scale Wind Energy Development Project in Rural Sicily
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International Wind Power Company
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A wind power company with no prior experience operating in Sicily developed a major wind farm project across several municipalities.
As part of the regulatory requirements for large-scale renewable energy projects, the company has to provide compensation measures to the affected local communities.
To ensure these measures are meaningful and responsive to actual needs, the company tasked us to understand the priorities and requirements of residents across the different municipalities involved.
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Desk Research
Focus Group
Ethnograhic Fieldwork (in-depth interviews + participant observation)
Expert Interviews
Stakeholder Analysis
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Footprints Lab delivered a comprehensive report and practical playbook designed to guide the company's community engagement strategy by:
highlighting both material benefits and intangible initiatives most desired by local residents across the affected municipalities
providing actionable guidance for effectively deploying compensation measures that respond to actual community needs and expectations
sharing practical approaches & suggestions to build trust and improve the social acceptance of the company's presence in the area
Photo Credit: Marco Biondi
3 Key Takeaways from This Project
about Compensation Measures
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Residents are not familiar with compensation measures and do not understand what they entail, despite concrete initiatives having been implemented in the area.
This suggests a significant communication gap between stakeholders and the community.
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Residents perceive and fear a lack of transparency in how initiatives are communicated by all stakeholders involved, including both local administration and companies.
This opacity undermines trust and generates anxiety about the decision-making process.
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Younger residents want compensation measures to be directly linked to work or learning opportunities.
They view skills development and employment pathways as more valuable than traditional forms of compensation.
Would you like to know more about other insights?