Thesis shows energy intermediaries should 'switch on forward radar' and translate end-users' needs |
Wednesday, 05 May 2010 14:18 |
A recent thesis written in the CHANGING BEHAVIOUR project shows how intermediary organisations can effectively promote energy efficiency. Justin Pariag's thesis, written within the MESPOM program at Central European University, is called Establishing the role and value of energy intermediaries in facilitating the development and implementation of demand-side management programmes: The potential of realizing a low-carbon future through energy efficiency. It builds on material collecting during CHANGING BEHAVIOUR workshops as well as expert interviews, and shows that intermediaries have an important role in networking, aligning and translating between providers, users and regulators. Justin Pariag's thesis suggests ways in which intermediaries can be more effective. Most intermediaries are small organisations with thin resources. In spite of their daily struggles, they need to be future-oriented and seek new funding sources ("switch the foreward radar on"), increase their visibility and celebrate success. Intermediaries have an important role in relating to energy end-users and also doing "reciprocal translation": This means that they should not only translate policy priorities to end-users, but also work to translate and represent end-users' concerns to policy makers. |