Kick-off SOCIAREM: Citizens at the heart of the energy transition

On 1 October, the European project SOCIAREM officially kicks off in Madrid. The project brings together 15 partners from 9 countries with one shared ambition: to accelerate the energy transition by making solar energy and energy communities accessible to everyone. The project is co-funded by Horizon Europe. 8D is involved as design and gamification specialist. Coordination lies with the Universidad Pontificia Comillas (Spain), which leads the research on energy and society.

Social Sciences & Humanities-angle
While many energy projects focus mainly on technology and innovation, SOCIAREM also addresses the social dimension of the energy transition. How do you keep citizens engaged and motivated to think collectively about solar panels and renewable energy communities? That’s exactly where 8D – together with fellow SME Akuyari and the coordinating university – aims to make the difference.

In the work package we lead, we are developing digital tools that bring citizens into the energy transition in an accessible and playful way. These include:

• A serious game where players experience how to make their homes and neighborhoods more sustainable, and how to share energy within a community.
• Adaptive interfaces, that automatically adjust to language, culture, and user profiles, making the game feel relevant and familiar to different audiences.
• A social data system that ensures vulnerable groups are included and benefit fairly from renewable energy.
  

This goes hand in hand with in-depth research into user profiles and needs, and a strong link between gameplay and real-world actions. The goal is not entertainment for its own sake, but behavioral change: raising awareness, boosting participation, and building trust in energy communities. Over the next few years, the game and tools will be tested in four European pilot sites, from Portugal to Switzerland.

Looking for an international collaboration?

Mail sven@8d.nl

Contact Sven

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