Social innovation supports inclusive and accelerated energy transitions with appropriate governance
Sovacool, Benjamin K.; Brugger, Heike; Brunzema, Iska; Dańkowska, Alicja; Wemyss, Devon; Vernay, Anne-Lorène; Betz, Regina; Avelino, Flor; de Geus, Tessa; Dembek, Agata; Duetschke, Elisabeth; Hielscher, Sabine; Iskandarova, Marfuga; Müller, Leticia; Musiolik, Jörg; Ranville, Adélie; Schleich, Joachim; Stasik, Agata; Strumińska-Kutra, Marta; Winzer, Christian; Wittmayer, Julia; Rogge, Karoline S.
(2023) Communications Earth & Environment, volume 4, issue 1
(Article)
Abstract
Accelerating energy transitions that are both sustainable and just remains an important challenge, and social innovation can have a key role in this transition. Here, we examine the diversity and potential of social innovation in energy systems transformation, synthesizing original mixed methods data from expert interviews, document analysis, social innovation
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experiments, a representative survey, and an expert survey. Based on a thematic analysis of these data, we advance four key findings: (1) the diversity of social innovation in energy is best understood when recognizing core social practices (thinking, doing, and organizing) and accounting for changes in social relations (cooperation, exchange, competition, and conflict); (2) governance, policy networks, and national context strongly shape social innovation dynamics; (3) processes of social innovation are implicated by multidimensional power relations that can result in transformative changes; and (4) social innovation in energy generally has strong social acceptance among citizens, benefits local communities and is legitimized in key community and city organizations. We discuss an agenda for 9 future research directions on social innovation in energy, and conclude with insights related to national context, governance, and acceleration.
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Keywords: energy and society, environmental studies
ISSN: 2662-4435
Publisher: Springer Nature
Note: Funding Information: The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement no. 837498, SONNET (Social Innovation in Energy Transitions). Funding Information: For our research design, we draw from original data collected over three years within the Social Innovation in Energy Transitions (SONNET) project, funded by the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 program. SONNET aimed at understanding the diversity, processes, and contributions of social innovation in energy. It did so by investigating how, to what extent, and under which enabling conditions diverse types of social innovation may result in new breakthroughs or successfully contribute to overcoming transition barriers, such as limited citizen engagement or slow adoption of new technologies. Publisher Copyright: © 2023, Springer Nature Limited.
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