Development of living labs to support gendered energy technology innovation in poor urban environments

Mukama, Matia; Musango, Josephine Kaviti; Smit, Suzanne; Ceschin, Fabrizio; Petrulaityte, Aine

doi:10.1016/j.techsoc.2021.101850

Cited by 13 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…2021; Mukama et al. 2022; Musango 2022). It is in this relational, emergent, and constantly reshaping complexity that we situate our understanding of the micropolitics of off‐grid energy infrastructures.…”

Section: The Micropolitics Of Off‐grid Energy Infrastructuresmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In all cases, conceptualisations of heterogeneity illuminate many "conditions of possibility" (Loftus 2012:56) where one or more options, or actions, could be taken at any time. Exploring the use of multiple energy options in situ requires a reading of the many ways actors use and draw on them to meet their needs, including considering the complexity of actor participation and use (de Groot et al 2021;Mukama et al 2022;Musango 2022). It is in this relational, emergent, and constantly reshaping complexity that we situate our understanding of the micropolitics of off-grid energy infrastructures.…”

Section: The Micropolitics Of Off-grid Energy Infrastructures Heterog...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Beyond the Grid: The Micropolitics of Off‐Grid Energy in Qandu‐Qandu, South Africa

Bobbins,

Caprotti,

de Groot

et al. 2023

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In this paper, we argue using smart technologies beyond the grid disrupts the access and use of existing energy sources, with profound impacts on everyday social life. We show how off‐grid smart energy solutions constitute their own politics when considering existing conceptualisations of urban infrastructures in geography and the social sciences. To expose its politics, or “micropolitics”, we consider how tensions occur at the interface between infrastructures, where there are additions and modifications. We draw on an empirical example of Qandu‐Qandu, an informal settlement in South Africa, to highlight how the placement, technical capabilities, and flexible financing options associated with off‐grid solar energy create micropolitics with profound implications for everyday life. To conclude, we reflect on the value of using disruptions for understanding and enhancing equity in off‐grid settings, contributing to the broader sustainability transitions narrative, and its “liveliness”.

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Section: The Micropolitics Of Off‐grid Energy Infrastructuresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Micropolitics Of Off-grid Energy Infrastructures Heterog...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Beyond the Grid: The Micropolitics of Off‐Grid Energy in Qandu‐Qandu, South Africa

Bobbins,

Caprotti,

de Groot

et al. 2023

Antipode

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“…The GENS research aims to enhance energy innovations that consider the different roles, responsibilities and needs of women and men in dealing with energy insecurity in African informal urban environments [15]. One of the GENS goals is to establish Social Innovation "Living Labs" [33] for multistakeholder collaboration designing, prototyping, and testing gendered energy solutions in informal urban settlements in South Africa and Kenya. We see local private energy companies as catalysts for change initiating multistakeholder co-design activities in the project Living Labs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mainstreaming gender in energy design practice: Insights from companies operating in sub-Saharan Africa's energy sector

Ceschin

Petrulaityte

Musango

et al. 2023

Energy Research & Social Science

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“…The final goal of the GENS project is to establish Living Labs in the GENS case study locations: Mathare (Nairobi, Kenya) and Groenheuwel (Paarl, South Africa) informal settlements. At GENS, we define a living lab as "a research and innovation concept for experimental and experiential learning in real-life environment, involving users and multiple private and public stakeholders, aimed at tackling the problem of energy insecurity in urban poor environments" [24]. The GENS Living Labs are stakeholder-driven spaces for learning about gender roles in energy-related activities; co-creating, testing and observing energy innovations; and scaling up these innovations towards improved gender mainstreaming in the energy sector [24].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…At GENS, we define a living lab as "a research and innovation concept for experimental and experiential learning in real-life environment, involving users and multiple private and public stakeholders, aimed at tackling the problem of energy insecurity in urban poor environments" [24]. The GENS Living Labs are stakeholder-driven spaces for learning about gender roles in energy-related activities; co-creating, testing and observing energy innovations; and scaling up these innovations towards improved gender mainstreaming in the energy sector [24]. We developed the GENS codesign toolkit with the GENS Living Labs in mind as fundamental support that facilitates multistakeholder interaction throughout the above-listed learning, cocreation and implementation stages, taking place within and outside a living lab.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Supporting the Development of Gendered Energy Innovations for Informal Urban Settlements: GENS Codesign Toolkit for Multistakeholder Collaboration

et al. 2022

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There is still little knowledge about the link between gender mainstreaming and energy security in informal urban settlements and there is limited design support to address this linkage. This paper presents the development and evaluation of the Gender for Energy Security (GENS) codesign toolkit, which was made to facilitate the design of gendered energy innovations for informal urban settlements. The toolkit was developed by applying the Design Research Methodology (DRM) and is grounded in the findings of a literature review, semi-structured interviews and ethnographic fieldwork in two informal urban settlements. The toolkit aimed to support codesign processes by providing its users with knowledge about the gendered energy scene in informal urban settlements and facilitating idea generation for gendered urban energy innovations. The evaluation of the GENS codesign toolkit was conducted during a one-day multistakeholder codesign workshop in Nairobi, Kenya. During the testing, we found that the toolkit was successful in facilitating energetic discussions, helping its users to learn about the gender–energy nexus in informal urban settlements and generate original ideas for gendered energy innovations. The toolkit is an addition to the current tools, handbooks and manuals on mainstreaming gender in the energy sector, with a unique focus on informal urban settlements and supporting idea generation.

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Development of living labs to support gendered energy technology innovation in poor urban environments

Cited by 13 publications

References 36 publications

Beyond the Grid: The Micropolitics of Off‐Grid Energy in Qandu‐Qandu, South Africa

Beyond the Grid: The Micropolitics of Off‐Grid Energy in Qandu‐Qandu, South Africa

Mainstreaming gender in energy design practice: Insights from companies operating in sub-Saharan Africa's energy sector

Supporting the Development of Gendered Energy Innovations for Informal Urban Settlements: GENS Codesign Toolkit for Multistakeholder Collaboration

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