Project R-16200

On/off the Grid: Mediating Energy Justice in Rural Communities (Research)

On/off the Grid: Mediating Energy Justice in Rural Communities examines how the energy transition connected to the Einstein Telescope can contribute to sustainable and just futures for rural communities in the Voerstreek. The telescope, if established in the Euregion Meuse-Rhine, will depend on an energy system that is both reliable and climate neutral. The research investigates how renewable technologies can be combined with Participatory Design and relational governance in order to create collective energy strategies that are technically sound, socially equitable and firmly embedded in the local context. Farmers, residents and municipalities are approached as central actors who negotiate the use of land, the production of renewable energy and the development of cooperative models. The project develops methods to strengthen trust, to mediate between regulatory frameworks and everyday practices, and to enhance resilience in communities that often face economic precarity and regulatory complexity. By linking technological innovation with participatory forms of governance, the study contributes to the feasibility of the Einstein Telescope while also offering transferable insights into sustainable energy transitions in rural Europe.

01 January 2026 - 31 December 2027