Co-creating NZ

1
Co-creating NZs energy future
Developing a taste for spinach

• Janet Stephenson
• Centre for the Study of Agriculture, Food and
  Environment, University of Otago
• Democratising Energy Hui, Puketeraki Marae 17
  June 2011 

2
Conundrum

• Worst ever carbon emissions leave climate on the
  brink Guardian 29 May 2011
• A controversial North Canterbury wind-farm
  proposal has drawn more than 130 submissions
  Stuff 25 May 2011

3
Reducing energy-related emissions to keep
world under 2 degrees rise
From IEA World Energy Outlook (2009)
4
System-wide change needed

• Not just about supplying more electricity also
• Distributed generation
• Energy use efficiency
• Transport
• Infrastructure
• Attitudes knowledge
• The rise of prosumers, smart grids etc
• Need living examples of how it can be done

5
EECA public opinion survey 2009
6
appealed by power type
2
15
8
13
3
28
1
Stephenson Ioannou 2010
7
Why?

• Scale?

8
(n266) Schaefer 2010
9
Scale v appeals (wind farms)
Stephenson Ioannou 2010
10
Why?

• NIMBY? (Not In My Back Yard)

11
Only one with more local opposition
Comparing submissions on 3 windfarms local
within 15 km radius
Graham, Stephenson Smith 2009
12
Why?

• Oppositional groups dont seek coal-fired power
  stations!
• Effects on environment?
• Noise, landscape traffic etc?
• Yes, but ... our interviewees mostly talked about
  other issues

Stephenson Ioannou 2010
13
Not acceptable because...
I dont like the taste!

• Direct/tangible impacts (RMA business)
• Scale size
• Place attachment / values of existing site
• Absence of local benefits
• Not appropriate sustainability solution
• Lack of trust in developer/government
• Lack of local control/governance
• Being cast as the problem
• Not part of cultural norm

Theres too much on my plate!
Why cant we just have a normal dinner?
What do I get out of this?
Id rather eat broccoli instead
What are you doing to me, Dad?
Let me make my own dinner!
Why blame me if I dont like it?
None of my friends have to eat it
14
(No Transcript)
15
Addressing the spinach factors

• If communities are involved, opposition reduces
• Plenty of interest in growing our own energy

16
Schaefer 2010 (n266)
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Developing the taste for spinach in Blueskin Bay

• Building on greater acceptability of smaller
  scale
• Building on rich history of social entrepreneurs,
  inventiveness, DIY
• Enabling forms of local involvement joint
  ventures, community shares
• Supporting community/individual initiatives

18
Some barriers

Farmer perceptions of barriers to installing wind
turbines on their property (n 199) (initial
cost not included)
Schaefer 2010
19
BCRTs vision

• The spinach factors

• The barriers

• Within control of BCRT
• Should be addressed if good processes engagement

• Outside of control of BCRT
• Likely to need external support, formal
  alliances, shifts in policy, changes to market
  BAU, etc
• First-off-the-block challenges (and rewards!)

20
Co-create NZs energy future

• Major social, technological and landscape change
  involved in NZs energy transition
• Recognise groups such as BRCT as allies in this
  shift
• Enable the public to have a real role in shaping
  the transition process rather than just
  recipients