Hydrogen futures are in the making right in front of our eyes and will determine socio-ecological path dependencies for decades to come. However, expertise on the societal effects of the hydrogen transition is in its infancy. Future energy research needs to include the social sciences, humanities and interdisciplinary studies: energy cultures have to be examined as well as power relations and anticipation processes since the need for (green) hydrogen is likely to require a massive expansion of renewable energy plants.

Within the field of interdisciplinary sustainability science, the popular concept of change agents has been only vaguely theorised. In the current debate, neither sociological theories of practice nor the level of participation required for a transformation towards sustainability are considered. On the basis of a qualitative analysis of change agents in two districts of the city of Cologne, as well as Pierre Bourdieu's theory of practice, this paper aspires to provide a sociological substantiation of the concept of change agents. The availability of social and/or economic capital, time, and a mental disposition for change are identified as prerequisites for actors to evoke social change. More than half of the analysed change agents were directly or indirectly open to sustainability issues. Here, for urban sustainable development, lies a potential to integrate actors beyond the traditional sustainability community and build on local social networks.

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