ID: 1490
Presenting Author: Jillian Ash
Session: 550 - (Re)building trust and transparency to navigate complex energy transitions
Status: pending
How projects are announced shapes community trust and engagement. The Pioneer-Burdekin Pumped Hydro case in Australia shows why transparency from the start is vital for mega projects.
Trust and transparency are decisive for the social acceptance of energy transition projects, particularly at the scale of mega projects. The way such projects are first determined and announced can set their trajectory of acceptance – or rejection – by host communities. The Pioneer-Burdekin Pumped Hydro Project in Queensland, Australia, reveals how its abrupt 2022 announcement triggered a trust deficit that has since framed community perceptions of the project and its proponent.
Drawing on community survey data and documentary sources, this paper examines how residents experienced and perceived engagement during the project’s investigative phase. Findings highlight three dynamics: (1) lack of early, transparent communication created a trust deficit; (2) inconsistent and limited dialogue undermined confidence; and (3) perceptions of distributive equity strongly influenced willingness to engage. In this climate, residents relied on informal networks and social media, heightening exposure to misinformation and disinformation.
The case demonstrates that project announcements establish trust trajectories and influence resilience to misinformation. Even after its 2024 cancellation, the Pioneer-Burdekin proposal left fractured communities and heightened distrust of large-scale renewable energy.
Dr Jillian Ash is an applied social scientist specialising in social impact, energy transitions and qualitative research in Australia and the Pacific.