A successful energy transition not only requires technological innovations, but also depends on these green technologies being accepted by the population. Research is already addressing the social rethinking in a variety of approaches - including the BayWISS Group College Life Sciences and Green Technologies, which addresses urgent global problems and promotes solutions to ensure sustainable development in line with the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. The social acceptance of green technologies was the main topic of this year's network meeting, which brought together the members of the Verbundkolleg in the Illertisser Hochschulzentrum Vöhlinschloss.
Rich program of events around the topic of acceptance
Priv.-Doz. Dr. Elmar Buchner (HNU), who moderated the network meeting, and Prof. Dr. Elmar Steurer, Vice President for Research, Transfer and Internationalization at HNU, accentuated the relevance of green technologies and the need to model social change in the opening of the event. How can the innovations and sustainable developments arising from research in areas such as energy and land use or digitalization and technologization also gain acceptance and support among the population? What challenges do researchers face today and how can they effectively inform the population and societal stakeholders about measures and involve them in change processes at an early stage? In his welcome address, Verbundkolleg spokesman Prof. Dr. Jörg Ewald, Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences (HSWT), explained the role of the Verbundkolleg, in which young researchers work on such and similar questions.
Researching together for a more sustainable future
Four doctoral students provided concrete insights into the diversity of this complex of topics: Patrizia Eben (HSWT) addressed multifunctional infiltration swales, which can be made more attractive through optimized planting. Johannes Görl (also HSWT) focused on the role of plant carbon compost in reducing the toxicity of copper-contaminated soils in his presentation. Jingyu Xie (Landshut University of Applied Sciences) presented her project on polydopamine in the development of modern battery cells to the plenum. The PhD project of Robin Renoth (HNU) is dedicated to the acceptance of geothermal energy, which aims to objectify critical factors in the planning and implementation of geothermal projects and to develop solution approaches for the integration of different social groups. Astrid Heindel (Landshut University of Applied Sciences) also gave an impulse lecture on the topic of science communication and acceptance. Several other topics could be examined in the subsequent Science Café: With a total of eleven posters on display, the poster session offered plenty to discuss over coffee and cake.
Panel discussion: Acceptance of technical solutions in the environmental sector
The subsequent panel discussion focused on the acceptance of technical solutions in the environmental sector. The panel, moderated by Prof. Dr. Cristina Lenz - Research Professor for Social Acceptance of Landuse at the HSWT - included Prof. Dr. Michael Drews, Assistant Professor for Geothermal Technologies at the TUM School of Engineering and Design at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), Dr. Dörte Ohlhorst, Lecturer at the TUM Chair of Environmental and Climate Policy, Sven Schmuderer, PhD student under Prof. Dr. Roland Zink at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology of the TH Deggendorf, and Bernhard Gubo, Managing Director of Aufwind Engineering GmbH and Managing Partner of Geoenergie Bayern Beteiligungen GmbH. The five experts intensively discussed the cornerstones of acceptance, addressed current challenges in a continuous dialogue between science and practice, and outlined fields of action in which the acceptance of green technologies can be specifically advanced.
The culinary conclusion of the networking event offered participants the opportunity to pick up on impulses from the preceding topics over a buffet, make new contacts and let ideas for joint research projects mature.
