The objective of DIET is to co-develop targets and indicators – together with political actors and governing bodies - to drive and monitor innovation in the energy sector in Värmland County, Sweden. The project aims to support transformative innovation policies shaping sustainable energy transition in Värmland by developing a self-sustaining monitoring tool.

 

Amidst the ongoing energy and climate crisis, ensuring a clean, plentiful and sustainable energy supply is critical. Värmland’s regional development authority has adopted a Smart Specialisation Strategy, where a sustainable energy system relying on solar and wind (renewable) energy is one of the seven specialization areas, and social innovation is one of the seven cornerstones for enabling the transition to sustainable development. However, existing measures for energy transition are expensive (e.g. new green energy infrastructure development), unsightly (e.g. windfarms), subject to public resistance, and hindering social innovation.

 

A central question for DIET is: What new targets and indicators can serve as policy tools to mitigate public resistance to energy transition and ensure inclusive and transparent processes for developing energy systems?

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Roadmap

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To meet its objectives, DIET will conduct a series of three Delphi workshops:

• Workshop 1 aims to identify and prioritize the challenges facing citizen participation in Värmland’s energy sector.

• Workshop 2 aims to define a collective future by setting explicit, measurable goals for an inclusive energy transition.

• Workshop 3 aims to develop strategies for triggering social innovation, policy development and amendment, and budgeting for the goals and targets set during and after the second workshop.

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Stakeholders

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The in-person Delphi workshops will engage three groups of actors: 

• Regional politicians from the Värmland Council and Regional Leadership Council.

• Professionals involved with the Smart Specialization Strategy from the Värmland County Government.

• Professionals involved with the Smart Specialization Strategy from Värmland’s regional development authority. 

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Expected outcomes and benefits

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• Data (targets and indicators), enabling policymakers to create optimal policy for social innovation.

• Inclusive and transparent processes for developing energy systems. 

• Plentiful, cheaper and more environmentally-friendly energy.

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SDG contributions

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DIET directly contributes to SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy while also supporting SDG 5: Gender Equality and 

SDG 10: Reduced Inequality. At its core, the project promotes social innovation through active citizen participation—across all genders and age groups—in the energy transition.

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Project lead

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​Avit Bhowmik, Karlstad University

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