Public opinion is a key factor in the development and deployment of energy systems. The perspectives of those living near current or proposed energy developments are particularly critical because these residents may have a strong interest in the project and their opinions could influence the siting of the technology. A systematic review of quantitative and qualitative empirical research published between 1980 and 2018 was conducted to synthesize and consolidate the results of studies that examined the factors that affected local residents’ perceptions of hydropower projects. The review involved searching databases and journals using multiple keywords and synonyms for hydropower and public perceptions. The initial search yielded 21,171 articles. Forty-nine of these articles met the criteria for inclusion and were examined further to assess the factors associated with the support for or opposition to hydropower developments. The primary factors that influenced locally affected public perceptions of hydropower projects included: (1) environmental and ecological impacts of the development; (2) local socio-economic impacts associated with the hydropower project; and (3) public participation and consultation practices associated with the development including availability of information. Differences in factors that influence public perceptions between developed and developing economies are also examined. The findings from this review provide insight into future research that may guide the development of more effective communication strategies and hydropower policy development.

公众舆论是能源系统发展和部署的关键因素。生活在当前或拟议中的能源开发附近的人们的观点尤为重要，因为这些居民可能对该项目抱有浓厚的兴趣，他们的意见可能会影响该技术的选址。对1980年至2018年间发表的定量和定性实证研究进行了系统的综述，以综合和巩固研究结果，这些研究检查了影响当地居民对水电项目看法的因素。审查涉及使用多个关键字和同义词搜索数据库和期刊，以获取水电和公众的认可。最初的搜索产生21,171篇文章。这些条款中有49条符合纳入标准，并进行了进一步审查，以评估与支持或反对水电开发有关的因素。影响当地影响公众对水电项目看法的主要因素包括：（1）开发对环境和生态的影响；（2）与水电项目有关的当地社会经济影响；（3）与开发相关的公众参与和咨询实践，包括信息的可获得性。还研究了影响发达和发展中经济体之间公众看法的因素差异。这次审查的发现为将来的研究提供了见识，可以指导更有效的交流策略和水电政策的制定。