MEDEAS participated in the 17th Annual Science, Technology and Society Studies Conference 2018 in Graz

On the 8th May 2018, Martin Černý from the Department of Environmental Studies, Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University, member of MEDEAS project, presented a paper on the 17th Annual Science, Technology and Society Studies Conference, which took place in Graz on the 7th and 8th May 2018. The paper was entitled “Exploring post-carbon futures through participatory input-output modelling” and was prepared by Martin Černý, Christian Kimmich, Christian Kerschner and Klaus Hubacek (MU). The paper was presented during the session “Smart energy systems innovation: What do we learn from niche experiments?”. The focus of the research is to identify implications of the post-carbon transformation (inspired by European Union’s energy roadmap and its goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80–95% by 2050), in order to gain a better understanding of the system and guide our choices and actions at the present.

The research will focus on methodological challenges that need to be addressed when coming up with such research design and on modelling changes in the sector of electricity production, based on a participatory process bringing together technology-oriented experts and policy-oriented experts with niche experience in implementing steps towards post-carbon economy. Their estimations will be translated into the logic of alternative input-output models for 2050, representing the structural effects of different transformation paths and underlying scenarios. The questions that are posed during the participatory modeling relate to the lifespan of renewable (solar and wind) energy producing devices; the share between capital costs (costs necessary for construction) and variable costs (costs of operation and maintenance) and its expected developments and the developments in prices of inputs etc.