05.10.2025 | Our ECOEMPOWER project findings at the Conference in Kaunas, Lithuania.
Our consortium partners Aurore Dudka, Johanna Vordemfelde, attila bruni and Vincenzo D'Andrea participated in the 7th joint conference of "Environment and Society” and "Energy and Society Network” of the European Sociological Association, held in Kaunas, Lithuania.The event focused on the theme "Societal Responses to Environmental Crises and Energy Transitions”, bringing together researchers and practitioners to discuss how societies navigate the urgent challenges of sustainability and energy transformation.
During the conference, the partners presented our findings on Renewable Energy Communities (RECs), emphasizing their central role in the European Union’s energy transition. The research highlighted that the development of RECs depends not only on technical and economic conditions but also on local sociotechnical imaginaries — the shared visions and values that shape how communities imagine and organize their energy futures.
Drawing on five case studies, the presentation demonstrated how notions of justice, participation, and territorial identity influence the design and functioning of RECs. The findings underline that, beyond a single EU directive, multiple context-specific imaginaries will continue to emerge, underscoring the need for policies tailored to local conditions and social contexts.
