Diverging energy horizons: Rethinking public resistance in the Danish renewable energy transition

Abstract

This article provides a new perspective on public resistance to renewable energy projects based on ethnographic fieldwork in Denmark. The Danish government's ambition of quadrupling renewable energy production by 2030 has faced substantial resistance, with concerns over insufficient local engagement in, and destructive environmental impacts of, renewable energy projects as frequent points of contention. To enhance our understanding of this resistance, we introduce the concept of “energy horizons,” which designates frameworks for perception, experiences, and expectations in the energy transition, conditioned by personal, cultural, and social histories. By elucidating differing interests and concerns while, at the same time, not rigidly equating these concerns with distinct groups of people, the concept a) enriches our understanding of how and why actors perceive uncertainties and potentials of renewable energy projects very differently, b) counteracts the idea that resistance and concerns belong unambiguously to certain individuals or groups, and c) illuminates the injustices entailed when certain horizons drown out others. Ultimately, the article emphasizes the necessity of recognizing and integrating diverse horizons through dialogue and collaboration, advocating for a “fusion of horizons” that supports mutual understanding and inclusive decision-making. Our perspective highlights the potential for reconciling the urgent need for large scale renewable energy production with the complexities of local community values and identities.