Energy justice issues in renewable energy megaprojects: implications for a socioeconomic evaluation of megaprojects

Sankaran, S; Clegg, S; Müller, R; Drouin, N

Energy justice issues in renewable energy megaprojects: implications for a socioeconomic evaluation of megaprojects

Sankaran, S

Clegg, S

Müller, R Drouin, N

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Publisher:: Emerald
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 2022, 15, (4), pp. 701-718
Issue Date:: 2022-05-10

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Sankaran, S https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5485-6216
dc.contributor.author	Clegg, S https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6083-4283
dc.contributor.author	Müller, R
dc.contributor.author	Drouin, N
dc.date.accessioned	2022-05-29T08:49:00Z
dc.date.available	2022-05-29T08:49:00Z
dc.date.issued	2022-05-10
dc.identifier.citation	International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 2022, 15, (4), pp. 701-718
dc.identifier.issn	1753-8378
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/157800
dc.description.abstract	<jats:sec><jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Purpose</jats:title><jats:p>The purpose of this paper is to investigate and discuss stakeholder issues faced by renewable energy megaprojects and in particular solar and wind power projects and their relevance to socioeconomic evaluation of megaprojects.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Design/methodology/approach</jats:title><jats:p>The paper uses secondary data collected from the recent literature published on stakeholder issues face by mega solar and wind power energy generation projects around the world. The issues are then analysed across specific challenges in five continents where these projects are being developed. The paper then focuses on the literature on energy justice to elaborate the type of issues being faced by renewable energy megaprojects contributing to the achievement of UN Sustainable Goal 7 and their impact on vulnerable communities where these projects are situated.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Findings</jats:title><jats:p>Renewable energy megaprojects are rarely discussed in the project management literature on megaprojects despite their size and importance in delivering sustainable development goals. While these projects provide social benefits they also create issues of justice due to their impact of vulnerable populations living is locations where these projects are situated. The justice issues faced include procedural justice, distributive justice, recognition inequalities. The type of justice issues was found to vary intensity in the developed, emerging and developing economies. It was found that nonprofit organisations are embarking on strategies to alleviate energy justice issues in innovative ways. It was also found that, in some instances, smaller local projects developed with community participation could actually contribute more equitable to the UN sustainable development goals avoiding the justice issues posed by mega renewable energy projects.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Research limitations/implications</jats:title><jats:p>The research uses secondary data due to which it is difficult to present a more comprehensive picture of stakeholder issues involving renewable energy megaprojects. The justice issues revealed through thesis paper with renewable energy megaprojects are also present in conventional megaprojects which have not been discussed in the project management literature. Post-COVID-19 these justice issues are likely to become mor prevalent due to the pandemic's impact on vulnerable population exacerbating the issues and increasing their severity on these populations. Therefore it is becoming even more critical to take these into account while developing renewable energy megaprojects.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Practical implications</jats:title><jats:p>Proper identification and response to energy justice issues can help in alleviating stakeholder issues in renewable energy megaprojects.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Social implications</jats:title><jats:p>Contributes to the equitable achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Originality/value</jats:title><jats:p>This paper addresses a gap in the project management literature on the exploration of stakeholder issues on renewable energy megaprojects. It also brings out the importance of justice issues which can assist in expanding stakeholders issues faced by megaprojects as these issues have not received sufficient attention in the past in the project management literature.</jats:p></jats:sec>
dc.language	en
dc.publisher	Emerald
dc.relation.ispartof	International Journal of Managing Projects in Business
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1108/ijmpb-06-2021-0147
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.rights	‘This article is (2022c) Emerald Group Publishing and permission has been granted for this version to appear here (https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/IJMPB-06-2021-0147/full/html). Emerald does not grant permission for this article to be further copied/distributed or hosted elsewhere without the express permission from Emerald Group Publishing Limited.'
dc.subject	12 Built Environment and Design, 15 Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services
dc.title	Energy justice issues in renewable energy megaprojects: implications for a socioeconomic evaluation of megaprojects
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	15
utslib.for	12 Built Environment and Design
utslib.for	15 Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Business
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Business/Management Discipline
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building/School of Built Environment
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CCDP - Contemporary Design Practice
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/e-Press
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.date.updated	2022-05-29T08:48:58Z
pubs.issue	4
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	15
utslib.citation.issue	4

Abstract:

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate and discuss stakeholder issues faced by renewable energy megaprojects and in particular solar and wind power projects and their relevance to socioeconomic evaluation of megaprojects.Design/methodology/approachThe paper uses secondary data collected from the recent literature published on stakeholder issues face by mega solar and wind power energy generation projects around the world. The issues are then analysed across specific challenges in five continents where these projects are being developed. The paper then focuses on the literature on energy justice to elaborate the type of issues being faced by renewable energy megaprojects contributing to the achievement of UN Sustainable Goal 7 and their impact on vulnerable communities where these projects are situated.FindingsRenewable energy megaprojects are rarely discussed in the project management literature on megaprojects despite their size and importance in delivering sustainable development goals. While these projects provide social benefits they also create issues of justice due to their impact of vulnerable populations living is locations where these projects are situated. The justice issues faced include procedural justice, distributive justice, recognition inequalities. The type of justice issues was found to vary intensity in the developed, emerging and developing economies. It was found that nonprofit organisations are embarking on strategies to alleviate energy justice issues in innovative ways. It was also found that, in some instances, smaller local projects developed with community participation could actually contribute more equitable to the UN sustainable development goals avoiding the justice issues posed by mega renewable energy projects.Research limitations/implicationsThe research uses secondary data due to which it is difficult to present a more comprehensive picture of stakeholder issues involving renewable energy megaprojects. The justice issues revealed through thesis paper with renewable energy megaprojects are also present in conventional megaprojects which have not been discussed in the project management literature. Post-COVID-19 these justice issues are likely to become mor prevalent due to the pandemic's impact on vulnerable population exacerbating the issues and increasing their severity on these populations. Therefore it is becoming even more critical to take these into account while developing renewable energy megaprojects.Practical implicationsProper identification and response to energy justice issues can help in alleviating stakeholder issues in renewable energy megaprojects.Social implicationsContributes to the equitable achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7.Originality/valueThis paper addresses a gap in the project management literature on the exploration of stakeholder issues on renewable energy megaprojects. It also brings out the importance of justice issues which can assist in expanding stakeholders issues faced by megaprojects as these issues have not received sufficient attention in the past in the project management literature.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/157800