Citizen science and its potential for aiding low carbon energy transitions

Abstract

Citizen science (CS) has emerged as a powerful approach to engage the public in scientific research across various domains. While it is documented that CS has made significant contributions to sustainability areas such as ecology, environmental science, and biology (Kullenberg and Kasperowski, 2016), the area of energy transition-related CS studies has yet to be documented in detail. This study reviews existing CS projects related to energy transitions, examining their approaches, methodologies, activities, and challenges. It identifies contributions of case studies to showcase the diverse ways CS has been applied to address energy transition challenges.

There are four primary pathways through which CS supports low carbon energy transitions: problem identification and research agenda setting, resource mobilisation, advocacy for transition off fossil fuels and co-evolution of socio-technical aspects. CS empowers communities, fosters participatory approaches, and generates knowledge that informs decision-making processes, ultimately driving positive change towards sustainable and inclusive futures. CS has the potential to advance energy transitions and needs to expand its integration in energy-related research and initiatives. By involving citizens as active participants, CS not only democratises knowledge but also empowers individuals to shape the future of clean energy systems.

Across the nine case study projects activities demonstrate a strong alignment with the diverse aspects required for a successful energy transition. What is more, in empowering communities and adopting participatory approaches, these CS projects generate essential knowledge that informs decision-making processes, thereby facilitating positive changes towards sustainable and inclusive futures. We suggest future routes for citizen action within the energy transition arena.