Assessing Stakeholder Risk Perceptions and Their Impact on the Acceptance of Deep Geothermal Energy

Climate change has emerged as one of the most significant global challenges, necessitating an accelerated transition to renewable energy. Deep geothermal energy has emerged as a potential solution however successful deployment of deep geothermal projects depends heavily on stakeholder acceptance, which is influenced by their perceptions of economic, environmental, and social risks. Existing research lacks studies on deep geothermal energy-specific risks, particularly the interplay between stakeholder risk perceptions and social acceptance. Additionally, only a few studies explore how economic, environmental, and social risks interact or include diverse stakeholder perspectives beyond single groups. Addressing this gap, our research has investigated key risks of deep geothermal energy from the lens of stakeholders, analyzing how stakeholder risk perceptions impact their acceptance and support of deep geothermal energy projects across four European locations. This study has utilized a qualitative research approach. Data was collected from workshops and interviews with diverse stakeholders including local communities, researchers, industry representatives, and developers. A thematic analysis conducted through NVivo 15 identified key risk themes, including significant economic concerns such as high upfront costs environmental issues like seismicity and land use impacts, and social challenges including trust, transparency, and public disappointment. The findings highlight not all risks equally influence acceptance; the impact of risk perceptions varies across different risk types and stakeholder groups. This study also suggests implementing targeted risk mitigation strategies that address specific stakeholder concerns. To deepen the understanding of risk perceptions, future research should adopt a longitudinal approach to examine the evolution of stakeholder attitudes over time. Additionally, ensuring equal representation across diverse stakeholder groups for a comprehensive analysis