Research into acceptance conditions for hydrogen technologies and design of participatory innovation processes

PROJECT BLOG (IN GERMAN)

► Report of 07 January 2020 on Muldental TV (external link)

Project goals

Green hydrogen is a key technology for the success of the energy transition. The early involvement of society is central to the sustainable introduction, wide use and successful development of hydrogen solutions. Long-term successful and sustainable innovations are only possible if technologies are accepted by society. Against this background, the HYPOS project H2-Chancendialog (= Opportunity Dialogue) of the Center for Responsible Research and Innovation at Fraunhofer IAO aims to identify the innovation potential of social perspectives for the development of hydrogen technologies. This goal is announced in four steps:

• The current state of research is ascertained in a comprehensive literature study.
• Interviews with experts are used to identify specific acceptance conditions in the HYPOS region.
• Acceptance is also examined nationwide in a representative survey.
• Finally, ideas for needs-based solutions are developed in three participatory workshops. Design-based methods are intended to empower actors from society, business and politics to collaboratively develop new ideas. Such an approach makes it possible to integrate acceptance conditions and social perspectives into the innovation process and thus to gain new innovation potential for the development of accepted and sustainable solutions.

H2-Chancendialog pursues three overarching goals:

• To investigate the acceptance conditions of new technologies using the example of green hydrogen;
• To examine the innovation potential of societal perspectives through an early involvement in the development of new solutions;
• To test a process model for collaborative innovation that brings together actors from society, business and politics  in order to jointly develop new solutions.

Recommendations for action are obtained for the establishment of acceptance for new technologies. Furthermore a guideline for conducting collaborative opportunity dialogues is being developed.

Application

Innovations are more successful and sustainable if future users are involved in their development at an early stage. The H2-Chancendialog therefore uses perspectives of citizens to design new hydrogen technologies. On the basis of social and economic sciences as well as design, the project develops new methods and formats to involve a wide range of actors in innovation processes.