WP02

Understanding legal and socio-economic integration of clean heat and cooling solutions

Abstract:

WP02 focuses on the legal and socio-economic integration. It evaluates ways to reduce legal, social, and economic barriers for the development and implementation of clean heat and cooling solutions. WP02 enhances the understanding of interests and conflicts as well as synergies between various actors. It focuses on promising policy measures, strategies, and legal frame conditions to accelerate the implementation of clean heat and cooling solutions.

Objectives:

This work package analyses the current socio-economic and legal challenges of current heat and cooling solutions in strong collaboration with the technology oriented WP01, WP03, WP04 and WP05, inter alia focusing on selected generic use cases (some of which will be further developed later on in the context of case studies, e.g. WP06 and WP07).

The objectives of WP02 are to:

  1. Understand the perceived needs, interests, legal challenges, and goals of the various actors of local heating/cooling systems and the potential for synergies and both legal and social conflicts, as well as risks.
  2. Identify and assess different measures and strategies to reduce legal and socio-economic barriers for a timely implementation and sustainable operation of efficient and socially desired heating / cooling systems (as e.g. proposed by WP01, WP03, WP05)
  3. Understand the socio-economic dynamics and legal constraints of the implementation of solutions
  4. Assess what changes should be made to the (formal and informal aspects of the) innovation system to enable industrialization, commercialization, compliance with legal requirements and integration as well as implementation of relevant technologies.

This WP02 will form the basis for applied R&D projects in WP06, WP07, and WP11 and it elaborates the scientific foundations for the following research tasks of proposed practice-oriented case studies:

  1. Specification of mediation measures and tools for authorities, utilities and energy planners to understand and balance competing interests during energy planning and implementation.
  2. Evaluation of implementation strategies under different scenarios as well as impact assessment in respect to timely implementation, decarbonization and renewable energy integration.
  3. Legal analysis of current regulation and development of guidelines (short term).
  4. Evaluation and requirements of changes in the legal system in order to maximize the potential of current heat/cooling systems.

Tasks:

  •  T2.1 Actor Analysis
  •  T2.2 Identification and assessment of variants of socio-technical innovations
  •  T2.3 Socio-economic dynamics of the implementation of pathways to a net-zero heating and cooling
  •  T2.4 Legal requirements to build thermal and cooling infrastructures
  •  T2.5 Legal requirements to build large energy plants

Expected Outcomes / Milestones:

  • Understanding of the perceived legal and socio-economic integration barriers and drivers of selected solutions
  • Understanding of requirements of and gaps in the governance strategies of the innovation system to support market development and penetration of decisive solutions
  • Understanding of the interplay and guiding forces between multi-actor decision making, strategies and policy measures
  • Understanding of the crucial legal and socio-economic factors for a timely integration of renewable energy sources

Duration: January 2021 - December 2024 (48 months)

Leader: Dr. oec. Silvia Ulli-Beer, Dr. Matthias Speich, (ZHAW-INE)

Team:

WP01

WP03