Citizens’ behavior change towards sustainable energy transition through social interactions

BACKGROUND
Achieving a just and effective sustainable energy transition requires active citizen engagement. However, despite ambitious EU and national policies, citizens’ participation remains low due to barriers like limited transparency, lack of motivation, and insufficient tools to support behavior change.
The CETSI project (Citizens’ behavior change towards sustainable energy transition through social interactions) addresses these challenges by integrating technical, social, communication and economic research to empower citizens as active participants within the energy system. The project posits that citizens' motivation and capability to act are pivotal for systemic change, and that they are shaped by social interaction, energy literacy, and the transparency of energy markets and pricing.

OBJECTIVES
The main research objective of CETSI is to identify and develop effective ways to motivate and support citizens’ active participation in the sustainable energy transition through social interaction, transparent energy pricing, and inclusive digital services. CETSI investigates how motivational drivers can be identified, enhanced, and addressed fairly. It develops new operational models and digital services that promote trust and resilience through communicative practices and peer engagement. It also advances scientific understanding of energy market mechanisms by modeling cost-reflective and transparent electricity and grid service pricing. By combining interdisciplinary expertise from energy systems, communication, and human-technology interaction, CETSI produces digital application prototypes and design guidelines that support sustainable behavior and collective energy literacy.

IMPACT
The main scientific contribution of CETSI is the integration of energy systems research with communication and human-computer interaction research to develop novel models, tools, and theories. The project enhances citizen engagement, trust, and behavior change in the sustainable energy transition. CETSI’s impact extends beyond academia, providing concrete tools and insights for policymakers, regulators, energy companies, and civil society. Collaboration with stakeholders ensures that the solutions developed are accessible, inclusive, and scalable, and that they strengthen societal resilience needed for a low-carbon future.

FUNDING AND IMPLEMENTATION
The project is funded by the Research Council of Finland and implemented by Tampere University and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland.