Abstract
At a time when the number of biogas plants is increasing rapidly in France, there is no shortage of examples of opposition to a biogas project led by local associations. The regulations governing the installation of methanisation projects and court rulings highlight the diversity of potential nuisances covered by special provisions. Furthermore, projects subject to authorisation require an initial examination phase by the authorities, followed by a public enquiry and consultation phase, before the final decision on authorisation or rejection. A methanisation project is therefore acceptable to the public authorities if it complies with these regulations, which take potential nuisances into account. However, this concern does not prevent conflicts and appeals. While the management of local nuisances (odour, noise, landscape) associated with anaerobic digestion appears to be central to its acceptability, field surveys show that they are associated with much wider issues, invalidating the idea that opposition is simply a NIMBY (not in my back yard) reaction. The acceptability of anaerobic digestion projects is thus linked to issues of distributive justice, which refers to the distribution of the costs and benefits associated with the installation of an anaerobic digestion plant. Understandably, for these facilities to be the subject of such appropriation, their advantages (energy, economic, environmental benefits, etc.) must be shared by the various stakeholders (farmers, local residents, municipalities, and possibly energy syndicates, energy providers, etc.). Local ownership of anaerobic digestion therefore requires not only shared governance of the facilities, but also shared objectives - or interests - in their implementation.