A successful SSH Energy Workshop

The 4th SSH Energy Workshop, held on June 17-18, 2024, at ETH Zurich, convened around 70 experts and researchers from various disciplines to delve into social sciences and humanities (SSH) perspectives on energy transitions. Organised by the CoSi Consortium and the Cultural Studies of Science and Technology Group (CSTS) within the Transdisciplinarity Lab at ETH Zurich, the event highlighted how SSH research can inform and shape future energy transitions, with a particular focus on energy modelling.

The workshop began with a light lunch and a welcome address by Bianca Vienni-Baptista and Stephanie Briers, who emphasised the significant inclusion of the arts this year. They outlined the thematic corners of the event: the Social Corner, Transitions Corner, and Imaginaries Corner, setting the stage for a dynamic and interdisciplinary exploration.

In Participation Sessions 1, workshops focused on integrating societal dynamics into energy modelling, prototyping energy imaginaries, and building narratives from complex energy model outputs. These sessions underscored the importance of interdisciplinary approaches to comprehending and managing energy transitions. The afternoon's Knowledge Gathering Sessions featured Pecha Kucha and poster presentations on topics ranging from public opinion on Swiss emission reductions to the sensory perception of renewable energy in alpine landscapes. This format facilitated rapid knowledge exchange and encouraged creative thinking. The first day concluded with an Apéro and an art installation viewing, offering a relaxed setting for networking and reflection on the day's discussions.

Day two began with a round table on narratives in energy research, moderated by Bianca Vienni-Baptista, featuring experts in their fields: Paul Upham, Hugo Caviola, and Adriana Marcucci. The discussion explored the complexities of energy research narratives and the need for clarity when working across diverse perspectives. This was followed by a knowledge gathering session where paper presentations were split into two thematic breakouts – scenario development and communities in the energy transition. Participation Sessions 2 examined practical ways to incorporate social sciences into energy system modelling and foster regular communication between humanities, social scientists, and technical scholars. These workshops highlighted the collaborative efforts essential for effective energy modelling and sustaining the SSH Energy research community. The SSH Energy Workshop concluded with a final knowledge gathering session focused on paper presentations around participation in energy research in one breakout and energy technologies in the second breakout.

The closing remarks of the SSH Energy Workshop highlighted the needs and potential topics for SSH Energy 2025 – emphasising the need to transfer “know-how” across SSH, modelling, and engineering fields to enrich the ongoing need for interdisciplinary research and collaboration in the field of energy transitions. Overall, the 4th SSH Energy Workshop provided a vibrant platform for dialogue, knowledge exchange, and the formation of new ideas and partnerships aimed at shaping the future of energy research and policy. We look forward to another enriching SSH Energy Workshop in 2025.

By Stephanie Briers