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CenSES annual report 2014 27
International cooperation
Smart Grids and the Social Science
The electricity system is undergoing a digital transforma-
tion. This brings with it some technical challenges, but this
is also a societal challenge. In April CenSES and ZEB
co-hosted a workshop on smart grids and the social
sciences, to critically engage smart grids from a social
scienti c perspective. The workshop attracted scholars from
13 countries who discussed how we could make sense of,
engage with and participate in the smart grid development
as social scientists. Much of the work presented will be
published in a special issue of the journal Energy research
and social science.
For more see:
Western Norway Research Institute (Vestlandsforsking) is
the Norwegian partner in a three-year and four-country
comparative European project that are going to investigate
the extent the European households are willing to change
their consumption patterns in order to contribute in halv-
ing societies greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), and further
more to analyse the changes in current climate policies
needed to enhance such changes. The project is nanced
by the Joint Program Initiative mechanism and is part of the
call “Societal transformation in the face of climate change”.
The HOPE project will generate new knowledge in three
areas (1) the drivers behind current household emission,
(2) households’ choices to achieve imposed GHG reduction
targets; (3) economic costs & bene ts as well as health co-
bene ts of each choice.
The study comprises three stages: (1) A household
interview survey including the assessment of the current
household footprint of direct and indirect GHG
emissions. (2) An on-site simulation, in which household
will be guided through a GHG reduction simulation of 60
GHG saving options. For each behavioral change, the result-
ing savings (GHG reduction), costs and health co-bene ts
will be shown. (3) A semi-structured qualitative follow-up
interview addressing household views on potential barriers
and motivation for the measures chosen in stage 2.
Engaging with policy-makers from the start we will develop
possible innovations in current climate policy regimes
at EU, national and local levels of governance to support
households in their consumption choices.
The research consortium consists of ve partners: Institute
of Public Health (IPH), Heidelberg (lead partner), TEC-
Conseil (a French research & consultancy company), Centre
International de Recherche sur l’Environnement et le Dével-
oppement (CIRED), Western Norway Research Institute and
Umeå University, Division of Epidemiology & Global Health.
Household Preferences for reducing greenhouse
gas Emission in four European High Income Countries (HOPE)
HOusehold Preferences for reducing greenhouse gas Emission in
four European High Income Countries (HOPE)
W stern Norway R search Institute (Vestlandsforsking) is the Norwegian partner in a
three-year and four-c untry comparative Eur pean project that are going to investigate
the extent the European households are willing to change their consumption patterns in
order to contribute in halving societies greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), and further
more to analyse the changes in current climate policies needed to enhance such changes.
The project is financed by the Joint Program Initiative mechanism and is part of the call
“Societal transformation in the face of climate change”.
The HOPE roject will generate new knowledge in three area (1) the drivers behind
current household i sion, (2) households’ cho ces to achieve impos d GHG reduction
targets; (3) economi cos s & b nefits as well as health co-benefit of each choice.
The study comprises three stages: (1) A household interview survey including the
assessment of the current household footprint of direct and indirect GHG emissions. (2)
An on-site simulation, in which household will be guided through a GHG reduction
simulation of 60 GHG saving options. For each behavioral change, the resulting savings
(GHG reduction), costs and health co-benefits will be shown. (3) A semi-structured
qualitative follow-up interview addressing household views on potential barriers and
motivation for the measures chosen in stage 2.
Engaging w th policy-makers from the start we will develop possible innovations in
current climate policy regimes at EU, national a d local levels of governa c to support
household in th ir consumption choices.
Table 1 - Sample Locations: populations of comparable mid-size towns involved in the HOPE
project
Germany France Norway Sweden
Name of town Mannheim Communauté duPays d`Aix Bergen Umeå
Population 290,000; immigr+ 350,000 250,000 120,000, growth+
Emission targets -40% (2020) non -50% (2030) -50% (2025)
Economy Manufacturing Touristic, service Touristic, service Services, manuf.
Climate Average Warm Cold, heavy rain Cold temperate
The research consortium consists of five partners: Institute of Public Health (IPH),
Heidelberg (lead partner), TEC-Conseil (a French research & consultancy company),
Centre International de Recherche sur l’Environnement et le Développement (CIRED),
Western Norway Research Institute and Umeå University, Division of Epidemiology &
Global Health
Table 1 - Sample Locations: populations of comparable mid-size towns
involved in the HOPE project