Energy Innovation and Society

The transition towards a more sustainable energy economic is a complex process of interrelating changes and dynamics on inter alia technological, institutional, and socio-economic levels. A manifold of questions relate to this transition, e.g. on:

• Scenarios for the future fuel and technology mix of the energy economy
• Long-term cost developments of innovative (and conventional) energy technologies
• Energy R&D strategies
• Transition strategies for specific ‘disruptive’ technologies in which technology, infrastructure, institutional setting and consumer aspects interrelate (think of hydrogen in transport)
• Energy innovations and end-user preferences and behaviour
• Public perceptions (general and local) of new energy technologies
  Addressing these questions calls for research and advice in which many scientific disciplines (technical, economic, social) are combined and integrated.

The group provides (relatively fundamental) research on long-term energy strategies, by modeling efforts and analyses of the essential mechanisms behind technology learning. Also, we dig into the societal dynamics of energy innovations, related to end-user behaviour and public perceptions. We provide transition studies on specific technological or sectoral domains. Finally, we translate fundamental insights into more practical policy advices (and use feedback from this to further focus our research activities.

We cooperate with a manifold of (mainly European) energy research partners. Furthermore, we interact with a diversity of practitioners, from energy intermediaries to industrial parties. Our main clients are the European Commission (framework programmes) and policy makers on various levels.

The group is involved in the following themes:

• Energy and emission scenarios:
• Global European projections
• Technological development and learning

Key tool in this field is the global energy system model ECN-TIAM

Showcase projects are PLANETS and ACTS

• Social aspects of energy innovations:
• Consumer behaviour
• Public perceptions of energy technologies
• Public perception of CCS

Showcase projects in this theme are Changing Behaviour and NearCO2

The experts

Marc Londo (group leader)
Julia Backhaus
Marjolein de Best (Coordinator societal perception and behaviour)
Sylvia Breukers
Suzanne Brunsting
Mia Paukovic
Mariëtte Pol
Hilke Rösler
Koen Schoots
Koen Straver
Bob van der Zwaan (Coordinator energy innovation and policy scenarios)

For more information please contact Marc Londo (londo@remove-this-part-ecn.nl).