Bouke Wiersma, the University of Exeter PhD student undertaking research into public opinions in Guernsey on marine renewable energy, has completed the first part of his research.
The PhD researches the meanings and values associated with Guernsey’s coastal and sea areas and with specific forms of offshore renewables (wind, tidal and wave) in order to assess which technologies might be more or less publicly acceptable in various locations.
The plan is for the PhD to have 3 empirical studies, with the first 2 smaller studies informing the third island wide study. Study one has focussed on a small number of local individuals identifying areas that are important to them on and around Guernsey’s coast, getting an understanding of people’s perceptions of the technologies and then seeing how technology and place overlap.