Background. Addressing climate and energy challenges in Europe will require a societal transition in the way we produce and use energy and resources. Technical and social solutions need to intertwine. The integration is pivotal to achieving a systemic shift that stays within the environmental limits while providing the people with clean, affordable, and secure energy services in an equitable and just way.

This means the energy transition goes beyond just technical systems, and requires the engagement of various social actors, from collective actions, to prosumers, large companies, and top-down engineered solutions. This includes innovative processes to allow people to take an active part in decision-making processes and being a driving force behind the transition.

It is imperative to consider social components beyond just the market, consumers, and “social acceptance.” Moreover, we see that civil society can lead transitions, and this will be necessary if we are to preserve and strengthen democratic institutions. Therefore, we need systems thinking and new research methodologies that combine technology and social components.

JP e3s. The Joint Programme “on Economic, Environmental and Social Impacts of the Energy Transition” sets out to understand the complex interactions in socio-technical-economic systems, which include, among other things, consumer behavior and engagement, market dynamics, collective action, innovation and technological change, and policy frameworks. JP e3s is a cross-cutting Joint Programme whose members collaborate with other technology-specific JPs, and through such synergies, we develop a transdisciplinary approach and deploy of a variety of methods in our project work, including: qualitative research, statistical data analysis, integrated assessment, case study analysis, humanities and engineering. We also seek to be flexible and adaptable to meet new challenges as they emerge.

Vision. JP e3s promotes an energy transition where people and society at the heart of solving our climate and ecological challenges. We do this through providing timely and high-quality and rigorous research results that supports policy making within our respective member states and across the European Union.

Structure. In May 2019, JP E3S transformed its design, moving from sub-programmes to activities defined by its Steering Committee. This structural change was adopted to give JP E3S more flexibility and to develop a more cross-cutting point of view.