Seeking Partners for Horizon Europe Project: Transforming Mindsets for Renewable Energy Adoption

Organisation / Hub: Zurich University of Applied Sciences ZHAW

Contact Person: Jürg Rohrer

Contact Email: rohu@zhaw.ch


Description

We are looking for partner organizations from Horizon Europe-eligible countries to collaborate on a project under the HORIZON-CL5-2024-D3-02-10: Market Uptake Measures of Renewable Energy Systems call.

Project Idea:
Our project aims to enhance the social acceptance and market uptake of renewable energy systems through peer-based workshops, system dynamics models, and emotional learning. We seek to combine scientifically grounded simulation models and gamified learning approaches to motivate communities to make sustainable decisions and establish new societal norms regarding renewable energy and environmental protection. We aim to empower individuals by enhancing their confidence in their ability to act and establish new norms and values for a sustainable life in harmony with natural systems.
Additionally, we will analyze existing political and economic frameworks, such as subsidies and legislation, to identify opportunities to strengthen community-driven initiatives and accelerate the transition to renewable energy. These findings will provide the basis for discussions with stakeholders to improve the support structures for renewable energy and foster behavioral change.

Link:Horizon Europe call HORIZON-CL5-2024-D3-02

Key Activities (preliminary suggestions):
• Peer-based workshops to promote renewable energy within various communities (e.g., farmers, local initiatives, professional groups).
• Supporting large renewable energy projects (e.g., wind farms, solar parks) through participatory processes to improve social acceptance.
• Development of an integrated simulation system and gamified learning approaches to foster systems thinking and sustainable behavioral changes.
• Analysis of existing subsidies and legislation to identify how political and economic frameworks can better support the expansion of renewable energy and community-driven initiatives.
• Establishment of a peer support network and organization of community success events to sustain behavioral changes over the long term and encourage interregional exchange.

Looking for Partners:
• Universities, organizations, and research institutions with expertise in social sciences, community engagement, moderation of participatory processes, educational programs, gamification in education, the development of simulation tools, or renewable energy.
• NGOs or local authorities interested in the implementation of renewable energy projects with access to local communities.


Learnings

Our Role:
As a Swiss university, we cannot take the lead in the project, but we bring extensive experience in renewable energy systems and, together with existing partners, in the development of system dynamics models and gamified learning approaches.

Contact:
If you are interested in collaborating on this project, or even in leading the consortium as a project coordinator, we would love to hear from you! Please contact us so that we can discuss how we can work together to realize this (or a similar) project.

Jürg Rohrer, Prof. for Ecological Engineering, ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Wädenswil, Switzerland, juerg.rohrer@zhaw.ch

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2 Comments

  1. Website Visitor

    I am the founder of One Resilient Earth. We’re based in Germany and interested in the project. Please reach out!

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