About the project
SOLAR TRANSITIONS is a four year collaborative research project funded by the Research Council of Norway and lead by the Department of Sociology and Human Geography. The research project investigates factors that influence poor people's access to solar energy solutions, as well as the role of solar energy supply for climate adaptation and poverty reduction. The project also facilitates social learning processes for the creation of social and technological changes. The research focuses on two aspects of socio-technical learning: Firstly, the project concentrates on how to implement and socially organise local energy supply with solar energy in ways that benefit people, including marginalised groups, and embeds the technology in local communities and climates. Secondly, the project initiates and analyses a process of South-South transfer of social and technological innovations between India and Kenya.
The research activities are carried out by an international and interdisciplinary group of social scientists, technical solar energy experts, and stakeholders from development and solar energy agencies. The 10 partners are from India, Kenya, Austria and Norway, and master students will also do related work. Through action research, the project facilitates interaction between the researchers and the involved local communities, implementing actors, NGOs and policy makers in the process of South-to-South transfer of social and technological innovations. The project lasts from 1. April 2009 to 1. April 2013
