FT (Fleur) van Boven MSc

Participation in the design, development and maintenance of multifunctional Solar Power Plants

Fleur's PhD study focuses on improving participation practices in Solar Power Plant (SPP) development. Her research has four main objectives:

1. Understanding participation practices of the past and gathering lessons learned at the regional level.
2. Investigating the relationship between participation practices, SPP design, and spatial quality.
3. Understanding individual practices in SPP design and development.
4. Co-producing policy recommendations with societal stakeholders to enhance participation processes.

Her study employs a comprehensive mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative data from interviews, policy workshops, and document analysis with quantitative methods such as t-tests and Chi-square tests on survey data. The research encompasses an inventory of participation processes from 50 existing SPPs in the Dutch province of Gelderland and case studies of six planned multifunctional SPPs. The findings are expected to enhance the understanding of participation practices and advance sustainable multifunctional SPP development by offering strategies to strengthen participation processes and land use.

This PhD research is part of the GAZO project, initiated in 2022 by the Province of Gelderland and Wageningen University & Research. The 'GAZO' project—Gelderse Aanpak Zonnevelden met Omgevingskwaliteit (Approach for Solar fields with spatial quality in Gelderland)—is a pioneering endeavour to develop innovative multifunctional Solar Power Plants (SPPs) that strike a balance between environmental, social, and visual impacts. The project aims to foster 'Communities of Practice' around six aesthetically pleasing SPPs, co-created with local stakeholders, including residents and farmers.

Want to know more? Please contact Fleur via fleur.vanboven@wur.nl