Challenging energy systems through social innovation

Presenter: Tessa de Geus, Postdoc Researcher at the Utrecht University 

Technology alone will not suffice to address the persistent unsustainability in today’s energy systems. To move towards a more just energy system, it is crucial to collaborate with social innovations, i.e. new ways of thinking, doing or organizing that change social relations. Examples of such social innovations are energy communities, participatory energy dialogues, or campaigns against specific energy pathways. These social innovations have the potential to be transformative and challenge dominant ways in which the energy system is organized. In this session, Tessa will discuss what kinds of social innovation exist, how they may challenge the status quo, as well as what possible ‘dark sides’ of social innovation may be. 

About the Speaker: Tessa de Geus works as a postdoc researcher at Utrecht University, where she recently started a new research collaboration on the intersection of power, social innovation and transitions as part of the POTRANSI project. Using action research and theatre of the oppressed methods, she is curious to understand how social innovation practitioners across Europe deal with power relations in their effort to foster transformative change.  

Date
Thursday, 17 October 2024 

Time
12:45-13:30 (free lunch from 12:15) 

Location
Faculty of EWI, Mekelweg 4 (Chip Hall)