Periodic Reporting for period 1 - RIPEET (Responsible research and Innovation Policy Experimentations for Energy Transition)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2021-02-01 al 2022-07-31
The energy system has become a focal point of discussions on how to transform society towards a more sustainable lifestyle. The search for new processes to accelerated the energy transition in the EU towards renewable energy sources has intensified due to global geo-political developments and increased political awareness for the effects of climate change. A crucial factor in this search is the proclamation of a just energy transition that leaves no one behind. The RIPEET (Responsible research and Innovation Policy Experimentations for Energy Transition) project operates in this context and tests an experimental approach to R&I in the energy system. In three European territories - Extremadura (ES), Highlands and Islands of Scotland (UK) and Ostrobothnia (FI) – the project sets up a so called “Transition Lab” that is intended to provide the frame for a needs-oriented, participatory innovation approach towards sustainable energy futures. The Transition Lab brings together the incumbents of the energy sector with previously unheard voices and tries to establish a governance framework that is based on regional societal needs and that is connected to bottom-up created visions for sustainable energy futures. The project highlights the need of societal engagement in the energy transition, correcting purely technical perspectives on R&I in the energy system that neglect the relevance of local and regional actors and their practices.
The focus of the first period of the project was to set-up and implement the Transition Labs in the three participating territories, to prepare regional energy visions and to formulate concrete transition pathways. In the initial stages of the project, the main focus was on a dynamic mapping of policy instruments, strategies and the stakeholder eco-system of the regions. The mapping considered different dimensions of energy transition, RRI and innovation in general, scrutinizing sectoral structures, central actors, infrastructures, supply- and demand-side characteristics, policies in a multi-level perspective (including national and local policies whenever adequate) as well as technology and innovation capacities. Especially the task of mapping the regional stakeholders helped the partners to better understand their own ecosystems and to identify potential blind spots in their cooperation patterns that needed to be addressed through the RIPEET project.
Building on these tasks, the RIPEET partners developed clear guidelines and tools that are the basis for implementing a Transition Lab in a regional context. For example, the RIPEET Toolbox is available online at the project website and provides useful instructions on how to organise Transition Lab meetings while the RIPEET Handbook takes the reader step-by-step through the Transition Lab journey. Using this materials as starting points the RIPEET territories engaged in the Transition Lab work, defining regional energy visions with their stakeholders, identifying associated change targets, elaborating transition pathways via a backcasting exercise and finally identifying concrete energy innovation needs. All these steps lead up to the publication of a call for “Energy Innovation Solutions” which will launch in fall 2022 and which calls for solving the most pressing energy needs in the different regions. The whole process hereby has been continuously monitored and assessed in reflection sessions and discussion groups that provide a space of reflection for the Transition Lab members.
Finally, the first period also saw the establishment of the RIPEET Community of Practice, consisting of selected mirror territories, which want to replicate the RIPEET approach. In total six mirror territories were selected: Andalusia (Tech park Malaga - Spain); Lithuania (Innovation Agency Lithuania) , Rogaland (Municipality of Rogaland - Norway), Silesia (Marshal’s Office of the Silesian Voivodeship -Poland), Aran Islands Energy Co-Op (Aran Islands Energy Co-Op Galway- Ireland), La Réunion (NEXA – La Réunion Innovation Agency - France). While the RIPEET Peer Learning programme will focus some its sustainability and replication oriented activities on the Mirror regions, the other applicants not selected as Mirorr regions (10 applications were received in total) will be part of the wider RIPEET Community of Practice, securing the sustainability and longevity of the project concept and results.
Building on these tasks, the RIPEET partners developed clear guidelines and tools that are the basis for implementing a Transition Lab in a regional context. For example, the RIPEET Toolbox is available online at the project website and provides useful instructions on how to organise Transition Lab meetings while the RIPEET Handbook takes the reader step-by-step through the Transition Lab journey. Using this materials as starting points the RIPEET territories engaged in the Transition Lab work, defining regional energy visions with their stakeholders, identifying associated change targets, elaborating transition pathways via a backcasting exercise and finally identifying concrete energy innovation needs. All these steps lead up to the publication of a call for “Energy Innovation Solutions” which will launch in fall 2022 and which calls for solving the most pressing energy needs in the different regions. The whole process hereby has been continuously monitored and assessed in reflection sessions and discussion groups that provide a space of reflection for the Transition Lab members.
Finally, the first period also saw the establishment of the RIPEET Community of Practice, consisting of selected mirror territories, which want to replicate the RIPEET approach. In total six mirror territories were selected: Andalusia (Tech park Malaga - Spain); Lithuania (Innovation Agency Lithuania) , Rogaland (Municipality of Rogaland - Norway), Silesia (Marshal’s Office of the Silesian Voivodeship -Poland), Aran Islands Energy Co-Op (Aran Islands Energy Co-Op Galway- Ireland), La Réunion (NEXA – La Réunion Innovation Agency - France). While the RIPEET Peer Learning programme will focus some its sustainability and replication oriented activities on the Mirror regions, the other applicants not selected as Mirorr regions (10 applications were received in total) will be part of the wider RIPEET Community of Practice, securing the sustainability and longevity of the project concept and results.
RIPEET is unique in setting a clear societal dimension of energy transition at the core of R&I processes in a regional context. Whilst the discourse on energy transition is still dominated by discussions on technological solutions and potentials, RIPEET wants to bring unheard voices to the forefront and focus more on the societal, regional needs in the R&I process, creating a more demand-driven innovation process in the energy sector. In doing so, the uncertainties of regional energy transitions should be manageable more in line with societal views and the acceptance of policy measures aiming and sustainable transition should increase. This is expected to contribute to more just energy transition solutions that leave no one behind and that are tailored to regional specifics. By collaborating with territorial ecosystems in experiments based on RRI principles RIPEET opens up the problem definition to a broader societal spectrum of actors, breaking up existing policy silos and established actor formations. In doing so the project contributes to the democratisation of the R&I system to aligning the innovation outcomes with expectations of society. One of the main expected results of the project would therefore the validation of the Transition Lab model as suitable R&I governance framework for just energy transition in a regional context.