Conferences
15–16 September 2011, Freiburg, Germany
Renewable Energy Self-Sufficiency (RESS) - Conference
The transformation of the present energy system to a sustainable energy system is discussed worldwide. Self-sufficiency attained with the help of electricity, heat, and fuel from renewable energy (RE) in combination with energy saving behaviors is seen as the one way to establish a sustainable energy system. Many communities and regions in different countries have accepted these challenges and have created the objective of reaching energy self-sufficiency through the use of renewable energies. In the end, self-sufficiency should be reached on a global scale. The change of the energy system to a more decentralized structure based on RE is characterized by different elements like new technological opportunities, greater citizen involvement, regional energy supply, the chance for added value created in a region, increased employment, as well as by political decision-making processes that are increasingly taking place in local governments. Therefore for the implementation of renewable energy self-sufficiency (RESS) to be successful, numerous ecological, economic, technical, and social factors have to be taken into consideration, making an interdisciplinary analysis indispensable. Moreover the integration of local and practical knowledge is essential in many cases (transdisciplinary approaches). However, what is lacking the most is a coherent approach to the topics from various fields.
On these grounds the conference aims to attract scientists from a wide variety of disciplines who share an interest in studying the change of the energy system to a system based on renewable energies. The general ambition is to stimulate discussion within different disciplinary fields about the transformation of the energy system and go beyond disciplinary boundaries for the facilitation of a inter- and transdisciplinary approach to RESS.
Related to different elements of change in the energy system, five sessions will be offered to allow opportunites to discuss diverse perspectives surounding RESS. Each session can host about 6 contributions. We welcome disciplinary as well as inter- and transdisciplinary papers addressing the questions that will be discussed in the following sessions:
- Actors, Networks and Institutions
- Economic Impacts of Renewable Energies
- Land Use Systems
- Protest, Support and Financial Participation
- Reduction of Energy Demand
- Innovative Technological Approaches
The results and problem areas brought forth in the sessions will be further examined in two additional Integrating Sessions with the objective to advance a coherent approach to the issues surrounding RESS. While the first Integrating Session aims to develop a common understanding of issues surrounding RESS, the second Integrating Session copes with the results of the sessions and closes with prospective research in RESS.
Studying the change of the whole energy system inter- and transdisciplinarily is a challenge and constitutes integrating different disciplines to bear on a specific problem as well as taking knowledge from each discipline, melting it together, and creating a new framework for research. They are complemented by integrating people from both practice and society. It is argued that inter- and transdisciplinary processes help deal with the complexity, conflicts, and unintended feedback loops by generating socially robust knowledge. This is why conference papers with a inter- and transdisciplinary backgrounds are especially welcome.
Deadline for registration and submission of abstract: 4th May 2011
