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Throughout the project, SONNET is producing a series of so-called ‘Energy Reads’ that summarise the key points from its diverse catalogue of research into concise, accessible, evidence-based publications. This Energy Read outlines the bridge between the local and European levels, showing how local social innovation initiatives help reach EU goals, and how the EU can better support and harness the full potential of social innovation to transform energy systems.

D7.4 compiles the five Energy Reads and five Infographics produced throughout the SONNET project. These outputs sought to translate select (exploitable) SONNET research outputs into succinct, visual and readable formats, in order to increase SONNET’s reach and impact.

D7.3 reports on the two SONNET on Tour workshops, including their agendas and minutes, featuring participants’ reflections and main conclusions. The report has been designed in an easy to read format, including pictures, quotes and other materials that were used in the workshop.Originally the workshops were planned as in-person workshops with SIE initiatives and local governments representatives as key audience. Whereas these audiences were reached in both workshops, both in diversity and numbers, the character of the workshops had to be adapted to continuing COVID restrictions. The workshops delivered the desired outcomes with the necessary adaptations also through hybrid and online formats.Key outcomes of the workshops were a set of potential ideas for new City Labs, developed by participants in each workshop based on a Social Innovation in Energy (SIE) canvas; communication material was produced in shape of a video about a community centre that participated in the SONNET City Lab in Bristol, showcasing the City Lab themes and approaches; and in Warsaw the workshop ended with an unanimous expression of interest between local government representatives and SIE initiatives to meet on a regular basis to exchange and support each other.

Throughout the project, SONNET is producing a series of so-called ‘Energy Reads’ that summarise the key points from its diverse catalogue of research into concise, accessible, evidence-based publications. This Energy Read overviews key findings from the project’s 18 Case Studies and three Country Reports.

The co-creation, dissemination and exploitation strategy of SONNET describes how the knowledge and experience of consortium partners will be used for communicating about the project, disseminating its results to a wide range of audiences, and ensuring that the resulting ideas, methods and recommendations are taken up and continued to be used after the project ends (exploitation). Communication and dissemination activities (WP7) will be carried out from the very beginning (M1, June 2019) to the end of the project (M36, May 2022). As such, an initial draft of this strategy was already under development in June 2019; what follows is a mid-term update of the overall co-creation, dissemination and exploitation strategy (D7.2). This update considers changing landscapes, what has been achieved in this work package so far, and plans to enable SONNET to reach its co-creation, dissemination and exploitation targets moving forward. The development of the strategy is led by ICLEI Europe, with the help of all partners. It will be updated systematically to ensure its continued alignment with the evolving SONNET project.

Die Veränderung von Städten hin zu nachhaltigen, sozial und ökologisch verträglichen und lebenswerten Räumen erfordert Innovationen in ganz verschiedenen Bereichen. Während Innovationen als Treiber gesellschaftlicher Veränderungen lange Zeit vor allem im Bereich technischer Entwicklungen verortet wurden, wächst inzwischen das Bewusstsein dafür, dass soziale Innovationen als Motor gesellschaftlichen Wandels einen entscheidenden Beitrag zur Gestaltung nachhaltiger und lebenswerter Städte leisten können. Genau hier setzt auch ICLEI als europäisches Städtenetzwerk in der Zusammenarbeit mit Städten an. Gerade im Energiebereich sind soziale Innovationen jedoch bislang wenig untersucht. Unter der Leitung des Fraunhofer-Instituts für System- und Innovationsforschung (ISI) arbeitet ICLEI zusammen mit Partnerstädten und weiteren Forschungseinrichtungen im Rahmen des EU-geförderten Projekts SONNET zu eben diesem Thema: Social Innovation in Energy Transitions.

The co-creation, dissemination and exploitation strategy of SONNET describes how the knowledge and experience of consortium partners will be used for communicating about the project, disseminating its results to a wide range of audiences and ensuring that the resulting ideas, methods and recommendations are taken up and continued to be used after the project ends (exploitation).

Throughout the project, SONNET is producing a series of so-called ‘Energy Reads’ that summarise the key points from its diverse catalogue of research into concise, accessible, evidence-based publications. This Energy Read overviews key findings from the project’s 6 City Labs in Antwerp, Bristol, Grenoble, Mannheim, Warsaw and Basel.

Social innovation is increasingly being recognised in policy making on different levels. However, to harness its full potential for accelerating sustainable energy transitions it is important to understand how policies impact diverse types of social innovation in energy. Therefore, Deliverable 8 provides guidance on how to better connect with and harness policy dynamics at different governance levels that are of relevance for social innovation in energy. This is done by offering reflections on a multi-level, multi-actor policy dialogue facilitated with SIE intermediaries, SONNET city partners and relevant policy makers from all governance levels. During the policy-dialogue, participants discussed how to better consider social innovation in energy in the proposed Fit for 55 package. The recording of the policy dialogue wasprovided by ICLEI and can be found here:Social Innovation meets Fit for 55

This guidebook is intended to inspire city representatives, local authorities, citizens and NGOs, local entrepreneurs and academics interested in new ways of engaging in urban sustainable transitions. Its practice based and accessible format should prepare city representatives to set up and conduct their own City Labs, even if they have no previous experience with this form of governance innovation.

Social innovations can provide answers to how energy systems can be changed. However, to have a transformative impact, they also need to challenge, alter or replace existing dominant power relations and structures. Currently, many of these relations and structures in energy are problematic and unbalanced. A switch to renewable energies does not automatically denote a switch in power relations. If unchallenged, inequalities and ecological extraction will continue to persist in energy transitions. Therefore, the crucial question is: How can social innovations challenge, alter and replace existing power relations in energy? This guidebook is for people who want to build up their skills to change energy systems: it is for groups or individuals who want to gain insights and experience in how power can be seen, challenged, or increased in energy systems. The guide presents seven building blocks derived from power theory literature and SONNET empirical research analysis, which are considered crucial starting points for understanding power in social innovation and energy. It then introduces seven exercises, tested and developed during power labs, which readers can put to use in their own context. This deliverable synthesises the empirical outcomes of a research process which involved interview and document analyses, two interventions (Power Labs) with a total of ca. 100 participants, analysis workshops and co-creation between researchers and social innovators. It provides hands-on guidance for practitioners to strengthen their strategic insight into power dynamics in social innovation in energy.

In this “Energy Read” we introduce you to the concept of social innovationin energy transitions.The SONNET project aims to understand and show the diversity of social innovation in energy transitions, going ‘beyond only energy cooperatives’. This diversity is portrayed in a typology and illustrated with examples, putting an emphasis on the six cities that are partners in the SONNET project. Ultimately, we will see that energy transitions have inseparable social and technological dimensions to them. We hope that, by understanding these dimensions, we can support the social dynamics that are necessary to the success of the much-needed renewal of our energy systems.