Sumários

Social dynamics in smart distributed energy systems

11 Novembro 2024, 13:00 • Ines Campos

The class builds on a presentation of different types of smart distributed systems (e.g., peer-to-peer, microgrids) to discuss the innovation potential but also the versatility of these systems. Class discussion focused on different case studies, exploring the different ways in which these systems offer alternative models for energy production on a small scale. 

Students then discussed how to integrate these ideas into their research project. 

Critical approach to social acceptance of renewable energy technologies

4 Novembro 2024, 13:00 • Ines Campos

In this class, group 4 presented the article by Ryder and colleagues (i.e., Ryder, S., Walker, C., Batel, S., Devine-Wright, H., Devine-Wright, P., & Sherry-Brennan, F. (2023). Do the ends justify the means? Problematizing social acceptance and instrumentally-driven community engagement in proposed energy projects. Socio-Ecological Practice Research, 5(2), 189-204.) to discuss how social acceptance can be an instrumentally driven process, and critically assess good and bad practices in social acceptance. 

The class discussed further this aspect with a focus on identifying cases with good and bad practices for social acceptance. 

Critical analysis of the concept of social acceptance drawing on empirical examples

28 Outubro 2024, 13:00 • Ines Campos

To complete the topic of social acceptance, this class focused on critiques of the concept. The class included the presentation by group 4 of the article "Do the ends justify the means?Problematizing social acceptance and instrumentally-driven community engagement in proposed energy projects". The class discussed several aspects related to social acceptance, including good and bad practices that should be taken into account. 

A 'world café' exercise was done to develop possible indicators on social acceptance. After the exercise students discussed how these indicators could be integrated in their class project. 

Centralised and decentralised systems in energy communities

21 Outubro 2024, 13:00 • Ines Campos

The class had a guest presenter - Luiz Reilli - who presented his research into the benefits and costs, considering social, economic and environmental impacts of energy systems, comparing centralised and decentralised systems in Brazil and Portugal.

These issues were discussed in class to gain deeper insights into the differences that different types of energy structures can have in terms of societal impacts, discussing also critical regulatory and administrative concerns (e.g., bottlenecks in the acquisition of licences) and what good practices should be adopted.

Social acceptance in solar energy

14 Outubro 2024, 13:00 • Ines Campos

The class focussed on social acceptance research in the case of solar energy. First, the second student group presented a summary of the class' required reading - i.e., "Still in love with solar energy? Installation size, affect, and the social acceptance of renewable energy technologies" (Cousse, 2021). Second, students discussed together the different causes and for social acceptance issues with large-scale solar installations. Lastly, students worked together on identifying their working group's theme for the final group work, and presented it to others in class.