Social acceptance of Decentralized Renewable Energies in East African rural communities: preliminary evidence from a multiple case study.

Africa is facing a severe energy crisis, with over 660 million people lacking access to electricity. Renewable energy (RE), including the decentralized ones, offers a promising solution to achieve universal energy access and promote sustainable development. However, the success of this energy transition depends also on the social acceptance of RE projects by local communities. This research study focuses on analysing the social acceptance of geothermal off-grid power plants in four East African regions: Homa Bay County (Kenya), Era Boru (Ethiopia), Lac Abbè (Djibouti), and Bugarama Valley (Rwanda). The communities involved in this study exhibit diverse livelihood conditions and primary economic activities. The study employs a multiple case study approach, combining the Social Representation Theory with a qualitative analysis of data collected through focus group discussions and interviews with community members and key stakeholders. Preliminary findings show that communities display varying degrees of openness and participation towards the geothermal project, and concerns include potential changes in the use of existing geothermal resources and understanding of the new technology. Community ownership, benefit sharing, and understanding of the technology emerge as key factors for social acceptance. Repeated interaction with researchers and understanding of the communities' precarious living conditions appear to influence their level of acceptance towards RE. Encouragingly, knowledge sharing and peer-to-peer communication within similar communities seem to improve acceptance. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of Social Representation Theory and the dynamics influencing the social acceptance of RE projects in Africa, providing valuable insights for the design and implementation of future initiatives. Managerially, underestimating social acceptance and its cultural underpinnings, especially in culturally distinct regions, can be critical. Further managerial implications will arise from ongoing data analysis. Our analysis faced limitations. Inviting diverse participants to focus groups proved challenging due to cultural factors, like gender roles in some communities. Additionally, historical political dynamics may influence RE acceptance. Time constraints prevented revisiting all sites. We recommend future longitudinal studies on social acceptance and communication's impact on socio-cultural factors