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Abstract

Social innovation (SI) aims at improving people’s life when technological or business innovations are not sufficient. However, the classic Triple Helix (TH) theory does not explicitly deal with SI, and relegates civil society to a passive role. This paper aims to analyze if SI requires an evolution of the TH framework. The methodology is a multi-case study based on SI projects and initiatives in the energy sector. The main findings are that citizens are involved in SI though to various extents: there are SI projects carried out “for” citizens, “with” citizens, and to a much lesser extent; “by” citizens. SI in the energy sector rely also on the commitment of the local government and the presence of social enterprises. Therefore, we suggest that a Quadruple Helix (QH) approach may be necessary for energy-related SI.