Research and development projects aiming to increase young adults’ knowledge of energy and energy efficiency

• Children and young adults are important target groups in order to decrease the climate change effects and increase an energy-efficient end use. With increased knowledge and awareness these target groups could play a constructive role in the current and future transition of the energy system. The correlation between knowledge, awareness and behavioral change is central for improved energy efficiency in the society. Children and young adults and their interest in the natural and technical science are central to ensure the long-term capability needed to transform the energy system.To support this development the Swedish Energy Agency started with young adults as a target group in research and development projects in 2008. Since then approximately 5 million EUR has been allocated for projects aiming to increase knowledge in these areas among young adults by developing practical methods and tools, educational material or in-service training for teachers. Around thirty projects have been supported and three of them, KNUT school development project, KNUT evaluation research project and The Energy Fall, will be discussed in this paper. The KNUT school development project is a national school project aiming at increasing students’ knowledge and interest in energy and energy efficiency. KNUT also stimulates learning and career choices related to energy, climate and resources and therefor strengthen Sweden's capacities and competitiveness future in these areas. To ensure the scientific base a research group from Linköping University (KNUT evaluation research project) has followed the project’s activities. Best practices of methods and tools have been tested and disseminated within the project at both regional and national level. The KNUT evaluation research project has identified and analyzed five success factors regarding energy, climate change and energy efficiency of importance for education: The relationships between the national, regional and local levelThe function of education vary in time due to the development of societyGet to know the education content inside and outside of schoolSuccessful meetings between different actorsThe educational systems capacity to educate all and at the same time recruit some for specializationThis paper will present an overview of the Swedish Energy Agency’s work on research and development projects aiming to increase young adults’ knowledge of energy and energy efficiency and the KNUT evaluation research project results, analysis and success factors.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Annan naturvetenskap (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Other Natural Sciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

young adults

energy end-users

end-use efficiency

employment

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

kon (subject category)