The ENGAGE project explores the potential for social innovations to accelerate a successful and inclusive energy transition. At a meeting on 27 September, partners laid the foundations for the next stages of the project. 

The energy transition in Germany is a collaborative project. Public participation is crucial to the success of the transformation. But it’s often difficult for the public to gain an overview of the work underway in this field and become actively involved in shaping the transformation.

Enter ENGAGE! The project explores the potential for social innovation to promote an inclusive energy transition. After a successful kick-off event in October 2021, IKEM reconvened with its partners in September 2022. Partner organisations at the meeting included 100 prozent erneuerbar stiftung, Bündnis Bürgerenergie, eueco GmbH and Ellery Studio, a creative strategy agency that will lead innovation workshops beginning next year.

During the meeting, partners discussed project successes and outlined the next medium- and long-term project goals. One project goal is to develop the Energiewende-O-Mat, which will connect interested citizens with exciting energy transition initiatives – from community energy to crowdfunding projects, and from cooperatives to local green energy.

Anika Nicolaas Ponder, head of IKEM’s Sustainability and Innovation Department, is looking forward to the next phase of the project: ‘We’re now working hard to develop the Energiewende-O-Mat. Soon citizens will have the chance to discover energy transition projects quickly and easily and to take an active role in the transformation. ENGAGE is conducting innovative research on the latest participation models in the energy transition to achieve this goal.’

The partners plan to release the Energiewende-O-Mat and participation models in spring 2023.