PressRelease–FINAL
**ForImmediateRelease:May2016**
Peoplepowercrucialforlow-carbonfuture,newresearchshows
Policymakersmustharnessthepowerofordinarypeopleifsocietyistotransitiontoalow-carbonenergyfuture,arguesa
leadingtechnologyhistorian.
NewresearchbyJohanSchot,DirectorofSPRU(SciencePolicyResearchUnit)attheUniversityofSussex,showsthat
viewingpeopleasmereenergyconsumersmeanswerisklosingavastamountofpotentialinalteringsocietyandbringing
aboutthesubstantivechangeweneedtoourexistingenergysystem.
PublishedintheMayeditionofthejournalNatureEnergy,theresearchputsintosharpfocusthecrucialroledifferent
typesof‘user-groups’playinhelpingshiftsocietytoalow-carbonsystem.
Thepaper-‘TheRolesofUsersinShapingTransitionstoNewEnergySystems’-synthesisesfindingstooutlinefivekey
typesofusersthatinterplaytocreateandchangetechnologyandsociety’sapplicationofit.Alongwithhisco-authors,
AssistantProfessorLaurKanger(UniversityofTartu)andProfessorGeertVerbong(EindhovenUniversityofTechnology),
SchoturgesGovernmentandpolicy-shaperstounderstandthiscentraldynamicandtheopportunityitaffords.Usersare
notjustconsumers–theyarecreators,influencersandgame-changers.
Thefivemainsetsthatinfluencechangeare:User-Producer,User-Legitimator,User-Citizen,User-IntermediaryandUserConsumer.Crucially,everydayactionsandroutinessharedbythesetypes,createcollectivebeliefsandexpectationsthat
pavethewaytoshapinganewstoryforenergy,takingwhatisoftenanovelnicheinsocietythroughtoitsoverarching
energyregime.Takingthelongview,theresearchshowsthatutilisinguserpowerisfundamentaltolongtermchange.
TheonusonGovernmentshouldbetocreateincentives,initiativesandasystemthatisreceptive.
ProfessorSchotsaid:“Consumersareoftenoverlookedasimportantactorsthataredrivingatransitiontowardsalow
carbonandhighlyenergy-efficientfuture.Inthisprocesstheydevelopnewcollectiveroutineswhichshapefurther
consumerchoicesonaroutinebasis.Takingthisperspectivemeansthatgovernmentpoliciesshouldnotonlyfocuson
providingmoreinformationandraisingawarenessbutalsoonmobilisingthepowerofusersforcombatingclimatechange
andreducingenergyuse.”
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TheUser-Producers–construct,tinker,amend,exploit,modifyandimprovetechnologiesbyengaginginextensivethinking
andlearningaroundtheproduct,processorsystem.User-Producersarekeytotheinnovationandstart-ups.
TheUser-Legitimators–Thesetypesareintrinsicincreatingbeliefinthefreshtechnology,system,productormethod.
Theypositivelyinformandaffectwidersocietalbeliefs.Theyhelpprovideknowledgetoaidculturalacceptance.
TheUser-Citizens–Theyaretheactivists,challengersandagentsofsocialchangeagainstthecurrentsystem.They
mobiliseandcontesttocarveouttheexistingstructurefuellingtheappetiteandadoptionofthenewmethods.
TheUser-Intermediaries–create,influenceandnurturethenecessarynetworksbybringingtogetherthecritical
producers,users,regulatorsandorganisations.Theycreatecredibilitywhichhelps‘mainstream’theniche.
TheUser-Consumers–these‘lead-consumers’adoptthenichedevelopmentsearly.Theychangetoembedthemintheir
dailyroutines.Byattachingmeaning,significanceorstatus,User-Consumerscontributeconsiderablytothepositive
constructionofideasaboutthenichewithinwidersociety.Therefore,theypromptmasstake-uptotakeitfroman
innovativenichetofully-fledgedregime.
From Niche to Mainstream: Why People Power is Key to Changing our System
Exogenous landscape event
Pressure
Stabilizing
Regime
Destabilizing
Mainstream
Usercitizen
Userconsumer
Niches
Userintermediary
Userproducer
Userlegitimator
Start-up phase
Acceleration phase
Stabilization phase
30-50 years
© Schot, Kanger & Verbong http://rdcu.be/h2eo
-ENDS–
NotestoEditors
1. ThefullpaperispublishedinMay’seditionofNatureEnergy-‘TheRolesofUsersinShapingTransitionstoNew
EnergySystems’http://rdcu.be/h2eo -ProfessorJohanSchot,Director,SciencePolicyResearchUnit(SPRU),
UniversityofSussex;LaurKanger,InstituteofSocialStudies,UniversityofTartu,Estonia;GeertVerbong,Schoolof
InnovationSciences,EindhovenUniversityofTechnology,TheNetherlands
2. ProfessorJohanSchot–istheDirectorofSPRU–SciencePolicyResearchUnit–attheUniversityofSussex.Heis
aProfessorintheHistoryofTechnologyandSustainabilityTransitionsStudies.Hisresearchiswiderangingbut
hasalwaysfocusedonintegratingsocialscienceandhistoricalperspectivesforabetterunderstandingofthe
natureandgovernanceofradicalsocio-technicalchange.UnderJohan’sdirectorship,SPRUisembarkingonan
ambitious,newstrategytoexpandandbuildonitsimpressivetrackrecordacrossresearch,teaching,impactand
engagement.Thestrategy,designedinthelead-uptothe50thanniversaryin2016,willdrawonSPRU’sextensive
activitiesandcapturethebestworld-classthinkingwithinandbeyondSPRU.
3. SPRUisinternationallyrecognisedasaleadingcentreofresearchonscience,technologyandinnovationpolicyat
theUniversityofSussex.SPRUisattheforefrontofnewideas,problem-orientatedresearch,inspiringteaching,
andcreative,highimpactengagementwithdecisionmakersacrossgovernment,businessandcivilsociety.
4. Follow:ProfessorSchot-@Johan_Schot;SPRU-@SPRU;SussexEnergyGroup-@SussexNRGGroup
5. FurtherinformationontheroleofusersinaspecialcollectionforNatureEnergypleaseviewherehttp://www.nature.com/energyclimatesociety
6. ToarrangeanintervieworgainfurthercommentpleasecontactGeraldineBloomfieldon
[email protected]/07730977705
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