- 10.00 – 10.45: Trial lecture. Title: “Discuss the potential and limitations of participatory visual methods in facilitating democratic engagement within energy planning and consent processes.”
- 12.00 – 16.00: Public defence
Ordinary opponents:
- First opponent: Kirsten Jenkins, senior lecturer/PhD, Science, Technology and Innovation Studies, the University of Edinburgh, UK
- Second opponent: Jennifer Clarke, associate professor, Gray’s School of Art, Robert Gordon University (RGU), Aberdeen, UK
Committee chair: Roy Krøvel, professor, Faculty of Social Sciences, OsloMet
Leader of the public defence: Head of Department of Art, Design and Drama, Liv Klakegg Dahlin
Supervisors:
Main supervisor: Cecilie Sachs Olsen, Professor, Department of Art, Design and Drama, Faculty of Technology, Art and Design.
Co-supervisor: John Andrew McNeish, Professor, International Environment and Development Studies, Noragric, Norwegian University of Life Sciences.
Summary
As the race toward net zero accelerates, rural landscapes are becoming testbeds for renewable energy technologies, including wind turbines, solar farms, and marine devices. These changes are often celebrated for their environmental benefits, but they also transform how people see and experience the places they call home.
While energy research typically focuses on technical and economic aspects, the visual and cultural dimensions of these transitions remain largely overlooked. This thesis addresses that gap.
What is it about?
The research explores how communities in Scotland’s Orkney Islands – renowned for their pioneering role in renewable energy – experience the increasing presence of energy infrastructure in their everyday lives. Orkney currently has over 900 wind turbines, along with many other pioneering energy projects, making it an ideal case for studying how technology reshapes landscapes and identities.
Why is this important?
Visual impact is one of the most cited reasons for opposition to renewable energy projects, yet it is rarely understood in depth. Landscapes are not just scenery; they hold memory, identity, and emotional meaning. Ignoring these dimensions risks alienating communities and undermining a just energy transition.
How was it studied?
The thesis uses participatory visual methods including photography, auto-photography, and photo-elicitation, combined with interviews and multimedia storytelling. Residents documented their own encounters with energy infrastructure over a year, while conversations over the photographs revealed nuanced, tacit responses that traditional surveys often overlook.
What did the study find?
The study introduces the concept of visual response imaginaries – a framework for understanding how people interpret and adapt to energy infrastructure across three dimensions:
- Environmental responses: Some residents view turbines as beautiful or integrate them into art; others adjust their daily routines and lifestyles to mitigate their visual impact.
- Emotional responses: Feelings range from pride and optimism to annoyance and sadness. Wind turbines were even personified; named or described as “friendly neighbours.”
- Embodied responses: Energy infrastructure influences physical practices, from swimming in sync with turbine blades to using them as weather indicators or landmarks.
The findings challenge top-down energy narratives that portray energy transitions as purely technical. They show that energy futures are also lived and felt. By listening to local voices and engaging creatively, researchers, policymakers, and developers can design more inclusive and empathetic approaches to renewable energy development.
These results are communicated through research articles and a photography and multimedia exhibition. This makes the research accessible and emotionally resonant for wider audiences. It also shows that photography and creative methods are powerful tools for energy research. Such tools provide a depth, reflexivity, and inclusivity that standard methods often lack.
What are the implications?
Energy transitions are not only about technology – they are cultural, sensory, and ethical processes. This research demonstrates that photography and multimedia can democratise energy debates, amplify marginalized perspectives, and make complex issues publicly accessible. Ultimately, a just and sustainable transition means considering not only how energy is produced, but how it is seen, experienced, and understood in everyday life.
