Helping research reach all

At its core, SONNET aims to bring diverse voices together to make sense of how social innovation can bring about a more sustainable energy sector in Europe. But how can we connect with all of these diverse voices? And how can we make sure that our research reaches all?

One thing we are doing is making sure we translate our knowledge into as many formats as we can.

One of SONNET’s first initiatives was to map 500 examples of social innovations in energy (SIEs), and then cluster them into “types” that enable us to better understand the diversity of work that already exists in Europe. This involved rigorous academic research, which was presented in reports and publications.

We decided, however, that wouldn’t be the only way we would present our findings. We placed our typology on an interactive webpage so that it could be explored by those who aren’t keen to delve into academic writing.

We then created our first “Energy Read”, which overviews the work that went into typology creation, and presents ‘why’ and ‘how’ we identified the types SONNET outlines.

Visual learners are able to access this information through our new infographic, which summarises all that is in the Energy Read using imagery and a visual storyline.

But sometimes, you just want to hear directly from the project. That’s why we recently released our first SONNET video. Starring three SONNET partners – Jana DeForche from the City of Antwerp, Karoline Rogge from Fraunhofer ISI and the University of Sussex, and Julia Wittmayer from DRIFT – the video presents SONNET’s vision, work on typology development, and work at the city level, specifically in City Labs. It uses a combination of interviews and illustrations to present our knowledge.

Now we want to hear from you. How are you accessing knowledge? How are you presenting your research in a way that calls in all interested persons? Let us know at info@sonnet-energy.eu.