Public dialogue as a collaborative planning process for offshore wind energy projects: Implications from a text analysis of a South Korean case

Local opposition to renewable energy projects reflects the competition among various ideas and values in the energy transition process. Offshore wind farms (OWFs), which are one of the most promising renewable energy generation facilities, are still not free from conflict. This study aimed to enrich the knowledge of the use of public dialogue for collaborative planning in OWF conflict situations. The spatial context on the case was Tongyeong-si, South Korea, where we hosted public dialogue programs. The main purpose of the program was to gather local opinion leaders and enable them to participate in a voluntary discussion on the most important issues related to the OWF project. The post-text and factor analyses could allow the identification of the three most important factors for residents regarding the siting of an OWF: resident participation in the siting process, consideration of damage to fisheries, and sufficient information for judgment. The degree to which the three factors were considered important was different for stakeholders: fishers emphasized the consideration of damage to fisheries, while environmental groups stressed sufficient judgment evidence, but all actors regarded citizen participation in the siting process as necessary. The findings of public dialogue can be interpreted within the local context to indicate that many aspects of the sociotechnical system should be changed to solve renewable energy conflicts. Furthermore, public dialogue can serve as an effective transition strategy to overcome confrontations through the co-production of knowledge and constructing an agenda together with the public.