Power to move towards a low-carbon energy future is in the hands of people and users.
People power crucial for low-carbon future, new research shows. Policy makers must harness the power of ordinary people if society is to transition to a low-carbon energy future, argues a leading technology historian. New research by Johan Schot , Director of SPRU (Science Policy Research Unit) at the University of Sussex, shows that viewing people as mere energy consumers means we risk losing a vast amount of potential in altering society and bringing about the substantive change we need to our existing energy system. Published in the May edition of the journal Nature Energy , the research puts into sharp focus the crucial role different types of 'user-groups' play in helping shift society to a low-carbon system. The paper - 'The Roles of Users in Shaping Transitions to New Energy Systems' - synthesises findings to outline five key types of users that interplay to create and change technology and society's application of it. Along with his co-authors, Assistant Professor Laur Kanger (University of Tartu) and Professor Geert Verbong (Eindhoven University of Technology), Schot urges Government and policy-shapers to understand this central dynamic and the opportunity it affords. Users are not just consumers - they are creators, influencers and game-changers.
TO READ THIS ARTICLE, CREATE YOUR ACCOUNT
And extend your reading, free of charge and with no commitment.
