Public Acceptance
The Human Side of Scale-Up
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Developing and manufacturing a sustainable technology at large scale requires more than scientific breakthroughs, investment, and infrastructure. Even if a technology is technically effective and economically competitive, widespread adoption depends on whether communities, consumers, and policymakers are willing to support and use it. Public acceptance is therefore a critical factor in scaling sustainable technologies, influencing everything from renewable energy projects and electric vehicles to carbon capture facilities and new industrial processes [1].
Public acceptance is shaped by many factors, including cost, convenience, safety concerns, environmental impacts, trust in institutions, and how communities are involved in decision-making. Technologies that lack public support may face delays, increased costs, or regulatory barriers, while technologies that build trust and demonstrate clear benefits can be adopted more quickly.
Building Trust Through Safety and Transparency
Many emerging sustainable technologies involve unfamiliar processes, which can create uncertainty among the public. Concerns about safety, environmental impacts, or long-term consequences can influence whether communities support new projects.
For example, carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies have faced public concerns about potential CO₂ leaks, pipeline safety, and whether they allow continued fossil fuel use. These toxicological risks could appear in all parts of the CCS chain: in the capture process when chemicals are used for scrubbing, during transportation in case of accidents, and during geological storage when a leakage of CO2 or brine occurs.
Figure 1: Depiction of the general process of carbon capture then storage [14]
“Toxicological hazards of special concern emerge not from CO2, but degradation products of scrubbing chemicals (nitrosamines and nitramines) or H2S-co-transportation. Additionally, contamination of potable aquifers due to mobilisation of hazardous trace elements, such as arsenic, nickel, and lead could become relevant in case of a leakage” [3].
Similarly, renewable energy projects such as wind farms and transmission lines can encounter opposition due to concerns about land use, wildlife impacts, and changes to local landscapes.
Addressing these concerns requires transparent communication about risks, benefits, and safety measures. Industrial researchers employ the Safe and Sustainable Innovation Approach (SSIA), developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), to assess the safety and sustainability of innovations [2].
SSIA combines [2]:
The Safe-and-Sustainable-by-Design (SSbD) concept, which recommends innovators to integrate safety and sustainability considerations as early as possible into the innovation process.
The Regulatory Preparedness (RP) concept, which aims to improve the anticipation of regulators in order to facilitate the development of adaptable (safety and sustainability) regulation that can keep up with the pace of knowledge generation and innovation of nanomaterials, nano-enabled products, and advanced materials.
Researchers, companies, and governments must provide accessible information and involve communities early in the planning process rather than introducing projects after major decisions have already been made. Public trust is often built through meaningful engagement, where local concerns are considered and communities have opportunities to influence project development.
Cost, Convenience, and Consumer Adoption
For many sustainable technologies, public acceptance is closely connected to economic factors. Consumers are more likely to adopt new technologies when they are affordable, reliable, and convenient compared with existing alternatives.
Electric vehicles (EVs) provide an example of how cost and infrastructure influence adoption. Although EVs can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and operating costs, some consumers remain concerned about higher upfront prices, charging availability, and battery lifespan.
Expanding charging infrastructure, reducing costs through improved manufacturing, and providing financial incentives can help increase adoption. The vast majority of electric car sales are also concentrated in China (60%), Europe (25%), and the United States (10%); “By comparison, these regions accounted for around 65% of total car sales worldwide, showing that sales of electric models remain more geographically concentrated than those of conventional ones” [4].
Figure 2: World map highlighting the rough amount of new eletric cars sold in countries around the world [15]
Similar challenges exist for other technologies. Renewable energy systems, heat pumps, and energy-efficient appliances may provide long-term savings but often require significant upfront investment. Policies and incentives that reduce these barriers can encourage consumers to adopt sustainable technologies while industries continue working to lower costs [5].
Community Support and Environmental Justice
Large-scale sustainable infrastructure often requires land, resources, and changes to existing systems, making community involvement essential. Projects developed without considering local concerns can face resistance, even when they provide broader environmental benefits. One common example is the “not in my backyard” (NIMBY) phenomenon, where individuals may support sustainable technologies in principle but oppose projects being built near their own communities due to concerns about noise, appearance, safety, environmental impacts, or changes to local landscapes [6].
For example, communities may support renewable energy generally but resist nearby wind farms, transmission lines, battery manufacturing facilities, or carbon capture infrastructure. While some concerns may be based on misinformation, others reflect legitimate questions about environmental impacts, land use, and whether communities will receive benefits from projects affecting them. Addressing NIMBY opposition requires early community engagement, transparent communication, and policies that ensure local populations have a meaningful role in decision-making.
“Not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY) attitudes may lead to failures of social justice, prevent the construction of facilities in the most effective and efficient locations, and limit the availability of needed services to client populations” [6].
A successful transition requires addressing issues of environmental justice, ensuring that communities affected by sustainable technology development have a voice in decisions and receive fair benefits. This can include local job creation, community investments, improved infrastructure, and stronger environmental protections.
Communities most affected by environmental injustice often include marginalized racial, low-wealth, rural, immigrant/refugee, and indigenous populations that live in areas disproportionately burdened by environmental hazards, unhealthy land uses, psychosocial stressors, historical traumas and systemic racism. These communities are disproportionately at risk of exposure to lead, air pollution, hazardous waste and extreme heat, which leads to health risks [7][8].
Wind Energy
Figure 3: A wind turbine plant [16]
“Wind farms have different impacts on the environment compared to conventional power plants, but similar concerns exist over both the noise produced by the turbine blades and the visual impacts on the landscape” [10].
The expansion of wind energy demonstrates the importance of public acceptance in scaling sustainable technologies. While wind power is a major source of renewable electricity, some proposed wind farms have faced opposition from communities concerned about visual impacts, noise, wildlife effects, and land use [9][10].
In response, developers have increasingly focused on community engagement, improved turbine designs, and strategies that provide local economic benefits. For example, some projects offer lease payments to landowners, create construction and maintenance jobs, and provide tax revenue for local governments. These approaches can improve public support by ensuring communities directly benefit from renewable energy development [11].
Figure 4: The Pew Research Center's survey results on American's opinions on the local impact of a wind power farm (the left column is "No, it wouldn't," the middle column is "Yes, it would," and the right column is "Not sure") [9]
The Role of Education and Communication
Public understanding plays an important role in determining whether sustainable technologies gain acceptance. Misunderstandings about new technologies can create fear or opposition, while clear explanations of benefits, limitations, and risks can improve confidence [12][14].
A Pew Research Center survey conducted in 2024 explores how American views of the local economic impact of a wind turbine farm, “33% think it would help the local economy, compared with 9% who say this would hurt it. Another 27% say installing a wind turbine farm would make no difference and 31% are not sure” [9]. About a third of the survey participants are unsure on the effects of wind turbine farms, showing how the vast majority is in the dark on sustainable technologies even though they directly affect them.
Effective communication requires more than simply promoting a technology. It involves acknowledging concerns, explaining uncertainties honestly, and showing how technologies fit into broader environmental and economic goals. Scientists, companies, and policymakers must work together to create accurate and accessible information that helps people make informed decisions [14].
Accepting a Future of Sustainable Innovations
The success of sustainable technologies depends not only on whether they work scientifically but also on whether society is prepared to adopt them. Public acceptance can determine how quickly technologies move from research and development into widespread use.
As industries scale climate solutions, they must prioritize affordability, transparency, community engagement, and environmental responsibility. Building public trust will be essential for ensuring that sustainable technologies are not only developed but also successfully integrated into everyday life.
References
Spandagos, C., Tovar Reaños, M. A., & Lynch, M. Á. (2022). Public acceptance of sustainable energy innovations in the European Union: A multidimensional comparative framework for national policy. Journal of Cleaner Production, 340, 130721. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.130721
Safe(r) and Sustainable Innovation Approach (SSIA): Nano-Enabled and other Emerging Materials. (2024). In OECD. https://www.oecd.org/en/topics/sub-issues/nanomaterials-and-advanced-materials/safer-and-sustainable-innovation-approach-ssia-nano-enabled-and-other-emerging-materials.html
Hillebrand, M., Pflugmacher, S., & Hahn, A. (2016). Toxicological risk assessment in CO 2 capture and storage technology. International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 55, 118–143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijggc.2016.10.014
IEA. (2024). Global EV Outlook 2024. In IEA. https://www.iea.org/reports/global-ev-outlook-2024
Sommerfeld, J., Buys, L., & Vine, D. (2017). Residential consumers’ experiences in the adoption and use of solar PV. Energy Policy, 105, 10–16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2017.02.021
“Not-in-my-backyard” attitudes | EBSCO. (2024). In EBSCO Information Services, Inc. | www.ebsco.com. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/psychology/not-my-backyard-attitudes
American Public Health Association. (2024). Environmental Justice. In www.apha.org. https://www.apha.org/Topics-and-Issues/Environmental-Health/Environmental-Justice
Kameri-Mbote, P., & Cullet, P. (1996). Environmental Justice and Sustainable Development Integrating Local Communities in Environmental Management. https://www.ielrc.org/content/w9601.pdf
Nadeem, R. (2024). 2. Americans’ views on local wind and solar power development. In Pew Research Center. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2024/06/27/americans-views-on-local-wind-and-solar-power-development/
Advantages and Challenges of Wind Energy. (2025). In Energy.gov. https://www.energy.gov/cmei/systems/advantages-and-challenges-wind-energy
Wind Energy Community Benefits Guide. (2025, September 19). Energy.Gov. https://www.energy.gov/cmei/systems/windexchange/wind-energy-community-benefits-guide
Romero-Lankao, P., Rosner, N., Efroymson, R., Parisch, E., Blanco, L., Smolinski, S., & Kline, K. (2023). Community Engagement and Equity in Renewable Energy Projects: A Literature Review. OSTI OAI (U.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information). https://doi.org/10.2172/1996557
MacInnes, S., Hornsey, M. J., Bretter, C., Pearson, S., Fielding, K. S., & Bersoff, D. (2025). Who do we trust on climate change, and why? Global Environmental Change, 96, 103096. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2025.103096
Rouch, Duncan. (2023). Cement industry, Australia, toward zero CO2 emissions by Carbon Capture and Storage.
Ritchie, H. (2024). Tracking global data on electric vehicles. Our World in Data. https://ourworldindata.org/electric-car-sales
National Geographic Society. (2022). Wind Energy. In education.nationalgeographic.org. https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/wind-energy/
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