Responding to the challenges imposed by climate change and energy supply security, the EU and its member countries have set ambitious goals regarding de-carbonisation of energy production and consumption. To reach these goals, stakeholders need to take diverse courses of action, including investing in renewable energy technologies, increasing the energy efficiency of buildings and appliances and encouraging energy saving habits and practices. The European Platform for Energy Research in the Socio-economic Nexus (PERSON) brings together independent Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) experts from all over the globe who represent the top of research on energy in their field.
Vision and ambitions
PERSON was established as a result of the Brussels expert meeting in June 2014 during the European Sustainable Energy Week 2014. PERSON aims to establish a dialogue platform that integrates knowledge on ways to encourage a sustainable energy transition of different disciplines, and fosters knowledge sharing between scientists especially in the Social Sciences and Humanities, governments, industry and civil society. It brings together top researchers from all over Europe. The platform plays a key role in the further developments of Europe´s energy future.
In developing a European Energy Union, there is a need for new insights concerning the role of consumers. The role of European citizens is of utmost importance: a bottom-up approach is an essential added value in the European top-down design of the Energy Union. The platform serves as a knowledge hub that creates high impact from all disciplines of the Social Sciences and Humanities. Our research results will be applicable throughout the value chain of products and services in the energy field.
Goals
The goal of PERSON is to unite and advise European top-class socio-economic energy research on the human dimensions of sustainable energy transitions to promote a secure, clean and efficient energy system.
The scope of the platform is SSH energy research with societal impact. The focus is on both supply and demand of energy, centering on the role of a variety of actors in the energy transition debate. The Platform highlights the crucial role of involving SSH research knowledge in issues of sustainable energy transitions.
Deliverables
1) to unite the European top researchers in the field of SSH research which focus on energy transitions;
2) to draft a common SSH research agenda on the human dimension in energy transitions;
3) to serve as an expert platform that advises (both requested and unsolicited) practitioners, industry, policy makers and other research disciplines by sharing the most relevant scientific knowledge;
4) to actively respond to new developments in both the research field and current debates in society;
5) to stimulate interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary approaches to provide answers to best practices in the field of energy transitions by consumers;
6) to liaise with and embed relevant representation from industry in the platform;
7) to create societal impact towards a secure, clean and efficient energy system;
8) to actively contribute to attaining the European Energy Union goals set by the European Commission.
Milestones
Sustainable Energy Week 2014 in Brussels: Establishment of PERSON platform after the expert meeting
Presenting the Positioning Paper
European Commission invitation to PERSON representative to join in formal EC workshop
Workshop European Commission: PERSON takes on the invitation of the European Commission to explore a suitable platform for Europe
March 27 2015
Formal recognition of the existence and importance of PERSON by the European Commission
Sustainable Energy Week 2015 in Brussels: Expert meeting PERSON
Newsletter & communication
Communication
Contact
University of Groningen
Nieuwe Kijk in ’t Jatstraat 68
9712 SK Groningen
Email: person@rug.nl
