International Conference on New Pathways for Community Energy and Storage | 6-7 June 2019 | Groningen

Background

Our energy landscape is changing. Local communities are increasingly taking active roles and emerging as new actors in the energy system. For example, some local energy initiatives own solar panels, wind turbines and energy storage system collectively, while others build renewable energy configurations, together with other energy system actors. Community energy and energy storage may enable effective energy system integration and get maximum benefits of local generation. This may lead to more flexible and resilient energy supply systems, and therefore, can play an important role in achieving renewable energy and climate policy objectives.

This international conference is being organized as a part of the Community Responsible Innovation in Sustainable Energy (CO-RISE) project and is funded through the social responsible innovation program of The Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO-MVI 2016 [313-99-304]).

Aim of the conference

The aim of this conference is to explore new and innovative socio-technological energy configurations at local and regional level including energy storage.

Bringing together researchers and practitioners

This conference brings together researchers and practitioners interested in the societal dimensions of technology and the technological aspects of social innovation. The focus is specifically on the field of community renewable energy and energy storage.

Key themes

Some key themes will be:

• Socio-technical innovation dynamics in community energy and energy storage
• Co-creation and user-inspired innovation
• Citizens engagement, (self-) governance and local business models
• Comparative institutional analysis: national traditions, cultures, physical constraints, governance and power relations
• New roles and responsibilities of key parties in the transition
• Decentrality, autonomy and resiliency
• Synergies, tensions, dilemmas and challenges at various societal levels
• Variability of technologies and energy configurations
• Responsible innovation in community energy and energy storage
• Scenario’s and scenario analysis
• Value sensitive design and energy technology

For the program, registration and deadlines, please visit the website of the International Conference on New Pathways for Community Energy and Storage.