The business world plays an important role in the energy system transformation. Key issues in this area are fundamental changes in production methods and work processes, revaluation and devaluation, the creation and disappearance of professions and skill profiles, labor market effects and new employment prospects.

The sub-project therefore analyzes the effects of the energy system transformation on the sociology of work and professions across the entire research platform.

In an in-depth and long-term case study, the sub-project investigates to what extent citizen energy systems have the potential to become social places.

A major research focus will be new forces of social cohesion that can contribute to increasing the success of the energy system transformation, as well as the role of social trust.

This sub-project is also integrated into research platform 3.

Based on local case studies, this sub-project focuses on the following comparative questions: Which forces of social cohesion and disruption arise in the geothermal energy sector? Can differences be identified between locations where underground operations have previously taken place and those without previous operations?

The interdisciplinary goal is to integrate social questions of acceptability and attitudes towards technical innovations into the planning process from the very beginning.