Author Archives: dougbessette

Energy Research & Social Science, Vol. 88, June 2022 Co-authored with Jessie Crawford MSc., MSU CSUS The number of studies examining social acceptance of wind energy in the United States and Canada has increased considerably since the 1980s. Here we conduct a methodological review of wind acceptance research (WAR) literature in response to four articlesContinue reading “All’s fair in love and WAR: The conduct of Wind Acceptance Research (WAR) in the United States and Canada”

The Energy Values Lab in the Department of Community Sustainability (CSUS) at Michigan State University seeks one highly motivated PhD student to begin study in Spring or Fall 2022 and assist with a new research project focusing on community-centered large-scale solar development in the US. This project will involve conducting case studies and interviews inContinue reading “PhD Student/Research Assistant in Community-Centered Large-Scale Solar Energy: Fully Funded!”

Had some things to say about offshore wind! https://earther.gizmodo.com/joe-bidens-offshore-wind-plan-is-radically-ambitious-an-1846585125

Moving toward a sustainable global society requires substantial change in both social and technological systems. This sustainability is dependent not only on addressing the environmental impacts of current social and technological systems, but also on addressing the social, economic and political harms that continue to be perpetuated through systematic forms of oppression and the exclusionContinue reading “Understanding Socio-Technological Systems Change through an Indigenous Community-Based Participatory Framework”

Prepared for the Michigan Energy Office Department of Environment, Great Lakes & Energy This report identifies the most commonly mentioned values, benefits, and concerns associated with utility-scale wind and solar development projects, as identified over the course of a 3-month pilot project in the State of Michigan (MI). Bessette and DePew attended 11 public meetingsContinue reading “Tracking Renewable Energy Values, Benefits, and Concerns in Michigan: In the Media and at Public Meetings”

“We need to build a lot of wind turbines. Will Americans agree to live near them?” Emilie Pontecorvo reviews Dr. Mills’ and my research on Grist and its implications for a clean energy transition.

Using the psychometric paradigm of risk in conjunction with surveys of the Michigan public (n = 638) and a regional planning organization (n = 65), we examine the perceived risk and concerns associated with underwater oil pipelines, the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline in particular, and oil spills under ice. The fate of Line 5 isContinue reading “The perceived risk of the Line 5 Pipeline and spills under ice”

Utility-scale wind energy is now the largest source of renewable electricity in the US. Wind energy’s continued growth remains contingent upon finding adequate resource potential and transmission capacity, along with communities willing to host turbines. While previous research on the social acceptance of wind has relied predominantly on case studies, resident surveys, and reviews ofContinue reading “Farmers vs. Lakers: Agriculture, amenity, and community in predicting opposition to United States wind energy development”

Dr. Nelson reflects on his 50+ years at MSU as he approaches retirement, and Dr. Bessette shares his unique perspective as an alumni and now professor in our department.

In addition to evaluating the economic, ecological, and health impacts of major public policy initiatives, impact assessments typically also need to identify and evaluate an action’s social and cultural (S/C) impacts. A wide range of S/C metrics have been suggested, and guidelines exist to help ensure their thoughtful and comprehensive development. Nevertheless, many of theContinue reading “The promise and reality of social and cultural metrics”