The Innovation and Network Executive Agency (INEA) in Brussels held last September 27th a workshop on the role of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) in the different H2020 projects dealing with the Energy Transition. Dario Minervini and Ana de la Varga presented ASSET in this cluster event and took part in the lively discussions about the scope of the common challenges and the possibilities of cooperation.
The participant EU Commissioners pointed out that SSH have been mainstreamed in most areas in H2020 including energy, especially at a conceptual level, but more progress in implementation, monitoring and evaluation is required. They also highlighted the need for an increasing cross-disciplinary dialogue involving both SSH and STEM areas, as well as the need of focusing on the energy consumer, who is not directly interested in the energy transition system itself, but in the services that it provides. Challenging cocreation models that involve different societal actors should be further explored. Active consumers, more and more informed and empowered, are considered the core of a full-adaptable and efficient energy system. In order to foster this scenario, researches and educational projects are wished for a closer interaction between the contractors and the EU commissioners. In particular, an emphasis is given to the adoption of a behavioural approach that will enhance a better understanding of citizens energy consumption paths within the energy transition policies.