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Short abstract:

Exploring how knowledge infrastructures catalyze energy transitions, this paper investigates the interplay between digitalization, participation, and modeled knowledge in building decarbonized energy systems.

Long abstract:

This paper centers on the exploration of knowledge infrastructures in energy systems, thus highlighting the critical role of digitalization, participatory practices, and modeled knowledge in shaping sustainable transitions. Acknowledging the complexity of global energy systems, especially in light of challenges like geopolitical conflicts and climate change, the paper examines comprehensive knowledge networks that integrate policy scenarios, simulation models, and interdisciplinary data.

In particular, the paper examines the nature of energy transition knowledge systems and the required social science theory for their study. Despite extensive research on computational models and scenarios of energy systems, a significant gap remains in understanding the dependence of knowledge on infrastructures for daily operations and planning in transitioning energy systems. I focus on attempts of energy researchers and policy makers to harmonize and validate 'social science data' - such as social acceptance, human habits, and societal drivers - into their complex scenarios and models, and the key epistemic challenges created.

The paper fulfils its aims by: 1) presenting a literature review to understand the interdependencies between computational modeling, digitalization, and energy infrastructures; 2) advancing my colleagues and mine previous work on dynamic and empirically rigorous theory on energy knowledge infrastructures; and 3) empirically validating this theory with case studies in Nordic energy systems, focusing on smart energy initiatives, Nordic market integration, and Nordic energy scenario modeling.

By integrating insights from STS, anthropology, and infrastructure studies, the paper puts forward a novel, interdisciplinary approach to examining energy transitions, offering significant contributions to both theory and practice.