Workshop "Sustainability of Renewable Energy and Pathways for Future Society"

Postgraduate Programme Renewable Energy (PPRE) students will host, on the 4th to 6th of April 2014 at the University of Oldenburg, a series of lectures and workshops pertaining to the sustainability of renewable energy and alternative visions for future society. The main focus of this conference is the connection between sustainability and sufficiency as well as the intimate relation that renewable energy has with these concepts.

Renewable energies are only one area that will contribute to build a sustainable society. We need to investigate how renewable energies interact with other dimensions of sustainability, such as society, economy and environment. The role which renewable energy can play in future society depends on how the society will be shaped and evolve. We want to find how the advantages and limitations of renewable energies can affect and be affected by the transition towards a sustainable society. How shall society adapt in order to be sustainable? How can we attain an economy which is not based on the classic growth models? What roles will renewable energies play in a transition towards sustainability? All of these important questions will be addressed by experts in the sustainability field.

A number of lectures will guide the audience to understand the interconnection between renewable energy, societal aspects and sustainability issues. Workshops will be held to foster discussion and exchange ideas in an interactive way, highlighting what can be done from a microscopic level (changing lifestyles, consumption patterns etc.) up to a macroscopic level (possible future policies which support the growth of renewable energies to the required level and societal sustainability) to reduce our society’s impact on the planet and ensure prosperity and well-being for generations to come.

News about the Sustainability Workshop is also available on our Facebook page