DESCRIPTION:

Stakeholder interest and engagement in energy projects continue to increase as do their expectations about regulators and utilities, calling for greater transparency. Renewable energies have garnered attention as examples of projects that engender public, and community participation. Broader participation helps to raise issues associated with the presence or absence of energy projects and the ensuing effect on members of a community. In this regard, some of the challenges we are currently facing are identifying barriers to participation and ensuring that mechanisms are in place for equity in participation.

KEY QUESTIONS:

1) What types of projects have the most participation?

2) Are utilities equipped to manage public participation?

3) How do we define community participation? What are the benefits? Are there any drawbacks?

4) How can regulators facilitate participation? What models are worth emulating?

5) What metrics are there that show correlations between community participation and the success of energy projects?