Renewable energy investments are high on the political agenda of Greece, in an attempt to comply with the EU regulations and trends and also as a potential outlet from the current financial crisis. However, local communities, especially those in historic environments, keep a negative attitude, often causing the cancellation of major investments. This presentation examines the impact of renewable energy investments to the historic environment in relation to the attitude of the local communities, using a variety of case studies from Greece. The aim is to provide a theoretical methodology as well as practical steps of a broader applicability on how a renewable energy investment can succeed, respecting the historic environment and engaging the local communities.