Energy Transition Discourse in Regional Communities:
Enhancing Public Understanding and Regional Community Engagement

This project aims to identify public discourse of energy transitions in regional communities and to optimise community engagement. It will focus on communities at different stages of the transition process: Busselton (planned), Kojonup (ongoing), and Albany (completed). The project will identify prevalent narratives and discourse in these local communities by examining public discourses in the digital space, such as local forums and social media. Comparing these three communities will provide nuanced insights into how energy transition is discussed and framed as a result of the stage of energy transition project implementation. This analysis will inform the development of targeted strategies to enhance public understanding, address misinformation, and refine community engagement approaches specific to each region’s context. Ultimately, this research aims to foster a more informed public discourse on energy transitions across diverse regional contexts.

• Public sentiment toward renewable energy is strongly stage-dependent across regional communities.

• Uncertainty and opposition peak in early-stage transitions when procedural clarity and transparency are lacking.

• Inclusive consultation and credible local benefit-sharing shift sentiment positively during active transitions.

• Completed transitions generate stable support reinforced by media narratives and community storytelling.

Professor Mingming Cheng

Lingxue Zhan

Shiyi Hu

Dr Jingjie Zhu

Professor Fran Ackermann

Associate Professor Raquel Tardin-Coelho

Dr Emma D'Antoine

​

For further information about this research, please contact smrl@curtin.edu.au