SOCIALRES Project - Fostering socially innovative and inclusive strategies for empowering citizens in the renewable energy market of the future

Social innovation is an essential facilitator of energy democracy but increasing social innovation must be mindful of the wider context of increased urbanisation, migration and economic polarisation and a shifting technological, data and privacy management landscape. These wider challenges will bring significant changes in the way citizens engage with the industry in the future and require careful consideration to avoid a situation where the low-carbon energy scenario and increase in social innovation advances contribute to further social inequalities.

By addressing the mentioned challenges, the SocialRES Project will devise more effective ways of increasing social innovation, leading to greater social acceptability as well as more durable governance arrangements and socioeconomic benefits.The overall ambition of SocialRES is to close non-technological research gaps that impede the widespread uptake of social innovation business and service models in the European energy sector.

The paper was presented during the 36th EU PVSEC, the European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference (9 to 13 September 2019 in Marseille, France).