Energy transition

Presentation Jochen Markard

In the light of looming climate change, a fundamental change in our energy production and consumption patterns is inevitable. Many countries have thus embarked on an energy transition - a shift from energy systems that primarily rely on fossil fuels and nuclear to a more efficient energy mix based on renewable energies. In some places, the energy transition has progressed into a new phase of accelerated development, which poses new challenges for research and policymaking. But how do we integrate high shares of variable renewables? How to deal with resistance of existing business interests and with industry deline? Are electric vehicles the way to go? And are we changing our energy systems fast enough to avert climate change?

Jochen Markard works as a Senior researcher and Lecturer at the Group for Sustainability and Technology within the Department of Management, Technology, and Economics of ETH Zurich. In his research, Jochen studies the interaction of technology, actor strategies, politics, society and culture. A focus is on the emergence of new technological fields, which have a potential to contribute to larger societal transformation and sustainability transition. Current research topics are the next phase of the energy transition, the politics of transitions, the life cycle of technological innovation systems, and technology decline. Publications of Jochen Markard are available here.

Harro van Lente is Full Professor Science and Technology Studies at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASoS), Maastricht University. He is head of the Department of Society Studies. His research interests concern the dynamics of emerging technologies; this involves technology assessment, foresight, politics of knowledge production and philosophy of technology. He is one of the founding fathers of the ‘sociology of expectations’. He worked 15 years at the Innovation Studies group at Utrecht University. Since 2010 he was part-time Socrates Professor of Philosophy of Sustainable Development at ICIS (UM). Publications of Harro van Lente are available here.

Aviel Verbruggen is Prof. emeritus at the UAntwerp. His research is multi-disciplinary (technology-economics-politics) on environmental & energy topics, such as: electricity, nuclear power, cogeneration, renewable energy support systems, emission trading, policy planning. From 1998 to 2014, he contributed to most reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. He is still teaching at the UAntwerp postgraduate course ‘Energy & Climate’. Publications of Aviel Verbruggen are available.

Tuesday 4 December​ 2018
From 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
University of Antwerp - Stadscampus  
Rodestraat 14 - R.004 - 2000 Antwerpen (how to reach the Stadscampus?)