Trust, awareness, and independence: Insights from a socio-psychological factor analysis of citizen knowledge and participation in community energy systems

In order to decarbonize the energy sector, there is a widespread consensus that the role of end-users in the energy system should change from passive consumption to active prosumption and engagement. This is of particular importance as an increasing number of technologies and business models are focusing on the end-users. These developments...

City-zen: New Urban Energy: Menorca 'City-zen Roadshow' REPORT

The City-zen Roadshow travels with a team of internationally recognized experts, in the field of energy planning and design to help develop a sustainable agenda for cities and their neighbourhoods. The Roadshow team work closely with people from the hosting city, whether they be city leaders, energy planners, local architect, professionals,...

City-zen: New Urban Energy: Sevilla 'City-zen Roadshow' REPORT

The City-zen Roadshow travels with a team of internationally recognized experts, in the field of energy planning and design to help develop a sustainable agenda for cities and their neighbourhoods. The Roadshow team work closely with people from the hosting city, whether they be city leaders, energy planners, local architects, professionals,...

Complex Systems Engineering: Designing in sociotechnical systems for the energy transition

The EU has set ambitious targets for an energy transition. While research often focuses on technology, institutions or actors, a transition requires complex coordination and comprehensive analysis and design. We propose a framework accounting for technology, institutions and actors' perspective to design in socio-technical systems. We present...

Simulating climate and energy policy with agent-based modelling: The Energy Modelling Laboratory (EMLab)

We present an approach to simulate climate and energy policy for the EU, using a flexible and modular agent-based modelling approach and a toolbox, called the Energy Modelling Laboratory (EMLab). The paper shortly reviews core challenges and approaches for modelling climate and energy policy in light of the energy transition. Afterwards, we...

Energetic Communities: Planning support for sustainable energy transition in small- and medium-sized communities

Small- and medium-sized communities might prove to be game-changers in the overall energy transition because many problems have to be solved within their ambit. Urban planning is dealing with the numerous processes of urban change. Energy is a fairly new task to be addressed and many stakeholders lack experience and criteria for strategic...

City-zen: New Urban Energy: Izmir 'City-zen Roadshow' REPORT

The City-zen Roadshow travels with a team of internationally recognized experts, in the field of energyplanning and design to help develop a sustainable agenda for cities and their neighbourhoods. It will visit 9 cities in total over a 5-year period who are seeking expert guidance on how to become more sustainable and wish to move towards energy...

Presenting a framework to analyze local climate policy and action in small and medium-sized cities

Academic attention to local climate policy usually focuses on large-sized cities. Given the climate challenges ahead this seems unjustified. Small and medium-sized cities (SMCs) deserve scholarly attention as well. The main question is: What factors influence climate change policy and local climate actions in SMCs? In this article we present...

Policy Frameworks for Energy Transition in England: Challenges in a Former Industrial City

This paper addresses the make-up and the limitations of a multi-level governance approach in tackling issues of fuel poverty and energy transition connected to poverty in England. Although the English planning framework offers unparalleled opportunities for innovative governance arrangements, and although much has been done in this area by...