Developing a Stakeholder Engagement Framework for Renewable Energy Branding: A Qualitative Study in Iran

The development of renewable energy depends not only on technical and economic factors but also on continuous, effective interaction among stakeholders. Many clean energy projects face challenges in social acceptance and branding due to poor stakeholder identification, lack of trust-building communication, institutional inconsistency, and neglect of social values. This qualitative, descriptive-analytical study proposes a framework for managing stakeholder engagement in renewable energy branding. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews with 15 key stakeholders in Iran’s Qom Province, including energy managers, policymakers, environmental experts, NGO activists, green marketing specialists, and consumers. Thematic analysis revealed six overarching themes: systematic identification and analysis of stakeholders; participatory governance and institutional support; trust-building communication and social legitimization; co-creation of social, economic, and environmental value; social acceptance and empowerment of consumers and local communities; and strategic management of green branding and brand performance. The results indicate that successful renewable energy branding requires treating stakeholders not as passive recipients of brand messages but as active participants in decision-making, implementation, evaluation, and value creation. The proposed framework can be applied by policymakers, renewable energy project managers, and green marketing practitioners to design communication strategies, increase social trust, and enhance the brand value of clean energy. This study contributes to the literature by integrating stakeholder engagement, social acceptance, value co-creation, and renewable energy branding into a unified conceptual framework.