Faster, Fairer, Cleaner: Overcoming Myths That Hold Back Renewable Energy

The success of the energy transition will depend not only on the rapid deployment of zeroemission technologies, but also on the expansion of renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, and hydrogen.
Equally important is meaningful engagement with the communities affected by this transition. Despite these requirements, debates around renewable energy are increasingly shaped by misinformation and coordinated disinformation campaigns, especially on social media, where renewable energy is often framed negatively.
Solar energy is among the most frequently targeted technologies by misleading narratives, particularly those related to environmental and health risks. Examples circulating online include claims that solar panels ‘breed mosquitoes that spread dengue fever’, ‘produce waste 300 times more toxic than nuclear
waste’, or ‘contaminate nearby soil and water bodies with harmful chemicals’. Wind energy projects are similarly affected by misinformation, with claims such as ‘wind turbines cause cancer or serious health issues’, ‘turbines kill massive numbers of birds and destroy ecosystems’, or ‘wind power is unreliable and
causes blackouts’.
Many projects face local resistance and ‘delayism’ due to limited public knowledge, low trust in developers, and perceptions of unfair decision-making. Mis- and disinformation are among the most influential factors, heavily amplified by social media ecosystems and emotional narratives. Within this polarized
and complex information environment, effectively addressing mis- and disinformation is an urgent step towards achieving a faster, fairer, and cleaner energy transition.
Communication plays a pivotal role. Strategies generally fall into two broad categories: those that promote accurate information and those that expose false or misleading claims. These approaches can be implemented either proactively, through prebunking, or reactively, through debunking. Beyond debunking
and prebunking interventions, existing literature emphasises the importance of strengthening open dialogue, active collaboration, as well as media literacy to increase resilience to mis- and disinformation, particularly in digital contexts. Programmes designed to enhance critical thinking, source evaluation, and
fact- checking skills can improve individuals’ ability to navigate complex information environments.
This presentation follows two objectives: to share prevailing trends in disinformation narratives related to the energy transition, and to propose a communication toolbox to support transition developers.
For this purpose, a preliminary social media analysis using Meltwater and a literature review of recent publications are employed as methodology. In practice, guidance for policymakers, communicators, and 365 energy stakeholders will be offered in this domain.