Lars Broman and Tara Kandpal, Strömstad Academy, Sweden and IIT-Delhi, India

Lars Broman and Tara Kandpal, Strömstad Academy, Sweden and IIT-Delhi, India

Presentations at the Polytechnic Institutes in Kiev and Kharkiv 22-25 April 2013



A Public Understanding of Renewable Energy R&D Project

Lars Broman1 and Tara C. Kandpal1,2

1Strömstad Academy, SE-45280 Strömstad, Sweden

2Centre for Energy Studies, Indian Institute of TechnologyIIT-Delhi, Delhi 11001, India

[email protected], [email protected]



1. Introduction and DefinitionsPublic Understanding of Science PUS is today an established concept. Bauer (2009) has given a 3-fold definition of PUS:

(1) "Debunking of superstitions, half-knowledge, ignorance, and misunderstanding ."

(2) PUS is to "improve science literacy, to mobilize favourable attitudes, to increase interest in science, and to intensify public's engagement with science."

(3) "PUS considers common sense as an asset" and PUS research should "chart out the public controversies" exemplified by "the impact of the climate of opinion on knowledge production."



During the planning the Futures' Museum in Sweden, Broman gave seven reasons for creating a science centre:

(1) Give an insight that science is understandable. (2) Awaken curiosity. (3) Give people the courage to experiment. (4) Facilitate public understanding of science. (5) Provide preparedness to withstand superstition and pseudoscience. (6) Amuse and entertain. (7) Provide aesthetic experiences.

Reason (4) is in line with Bauer's definitions (2) and (3), and reason (5) coincides with Bauer's definition (1).



PUS is important, but it is not as simple as that. There are e.g. so many different sciences (which in turn are divided into many disciplines).

"Science" is frequently used as a synonym of "natural sciences", but science also includes engineering and medicine, the social sciences and humanities.

But maybe all different disciplines are not equally important that the public understands?



It is also important to identify target groups, since some may be more important than other. Loosely defined target groups frequently mentioned are young people (in the world of science centres often restricted to the "7-eleven group" of elementary school children), voting adults, and decision makers.

Other interesting group may include engineers, teenagers, refugees, religious fundamentalists, senior citizens, people living in villages as well as cities, just to name a few.



Since renewable energy is our main interest, the authors have decided to investigate a sub-set of PUS, namely Public Understanding of Renewable Energy PURE.

The remainder of this presentation attempts to give a starting point of a potential research project on PURE.

The main questions are "is PURE important?" and, if the answer is yes, "how could PURE be achieved, and which means are useful?"



2. On the Importance of Public Understanding of Renewable EnergyThere are several reasons why PURE might be important. Four of them are these:

(1) The earth is a lonely planet in a vast space.

(2) The earth is a planet alive with a dead sister and a dead brother.

(3) Scientists generally agree upon anthropogenic influence on the world's climate.



2. On the Importance of Public Understanding of Renewable EnergyThere are several reasons why PURE might be important. Four of them are these:

(4) A major source of greenhouse gases is combustion of fossil fuels, which have to be replaced by increased energy efficiency and large-scale worldwide dissemination of renewable sources of energy.



A reasonable conclusion is that PURE is important. Thus, a research project on PURE would be to identify pros and cons in this respect.

There are also several related questions: What do professionals? How interested is the public in renewable energy, and what do they already know?

Which disciplines in renewable energy science are more important than others?

A very crucial role of common people in large scale harnessing of renewable sources of energy is that the adoption requires their participation.



3. How Could Public Understanding of Renewable Energy be Achieved, and which Means Are Useful?There are many channels that can be and are used: Newspapers, TV programs, books, interactive exhibits in science centres, lessons in the school. Different media attract different target groups.

The project should also find out how science centres with interactive exhibits can be used. The great difference between large science centres (like Nehru Science Centre in Mumbai, India) and small ones (like Ekohuset in Strömstad, Sweden).



The Chinese philosopher Confucius' proverb is a motto for Boston Children's Museum: I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand.

William Glasser wrote (1990): We learn 10% of what we read, 20% of what we hear, 30% of what we see, 50% of what we both see and hear, 70% of what is discussed with others, 80% of what we experience, and 95% of what we teach.

An important component of achieving PURE is thus likely to be interactivity and hands-on experience, and useful environments for this are science centres and planetariums.



3.1 Popular Education of Renewable Energy through International Association of Solar Energy EducationIASEE started in 1989 and became the International Solar Energy Society ISES Working Group on education in 1990.

Since 1991, IASEE has arranged International Symposiums on Renewable Energy Education ISREE, held yearly or biennially.

Papers have dealt with education in schools and at university level, as well as educating the general public.

Our paper in the WREC'11 Proceedings gives several examples.



3.2 Renewable Energy Dissemination at Village Level

A large proportion of the Earth's population is rural, and the quality of life of rural people could be increased at the same time as their negative influence on climate is decreased by introduction of renewable energy at village level: "Low carbon technology for low-purchasing power people."

This includes a multitude of technologies and education of users is important.

When educating rural people, it should be understood that many people live below the poverty line and that illiteracy is common.



4. A Public Understanding of Renewable Energy Research Project ProposalPresently this concept is more important than ever. An interdisciplinary and international science communication project on PURE is being formed with the hub at Strömstad Academy in Sweden.

It should include both research on the importance of PURE and on the impact of different methods to achieve PURE including determining which methods are best adapted for varying target groups.



Different target groups have to be approached, ranging from renewable energy specialists and energy policy makers to school teachers, engineering students and different kinds of end-users.

A variety of methods, such as questionnaire studies, interviews and focus groups, should be considered.

A start has been made with trying out a questionnaire on participants in the workshop Solar Energy in the MENA Countries from Multiple Social Science Perspectives in Tunis, Tunisia 12-14 Nov. 2012.



Much more need however to be done.

A good start would be a to distribute a questionnaire world-wide to well-defined target groups (such as engineering students, teachers, and visitors to science centres) aiming at finding out the present level of public understanding renewable energy.

Please contact us if you would like to participate in the PURE project.

The authors' email addresses are [email protected] [email protected]



We will conclude this presentation by showing a few examples of how hands-on and interactivity has been used in conveying PURE.

SERC Solar Energy Exhibition, now at Grönhögen, Sweden



Yourself a Sun-dial Teknoland, Falun, Sweden



Greenhouse Effect being built at Teknoland



The Solar-Heated Chessboard, Teknoland



8th International Symposium on Renewable Energy Education, Orlando, Florida, 4-8 August 2002

Solar Surfaces from Teknoland


Prof. H P Garg, IIT, demonstrating a Solar Cooker for ESES students



Solar Popcorn at Teknoland



PV PLayhouse at Toddlers' Teknoland



Thanks for your attention!



Documents

Lars Broman and Tara Kandpal, Strömstad Academy, Sweden and IIT-Delhi, India