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Short abstract

'Around the Clock Green' uses speculative methods to reimagine energy systems beyond annual net-zero toward 247 carbon-free matching. Through transdisciplinary stakeholder visioning, we explore how living in rhythm with natures availability reshapes urban ecologies, centering justice & sufficiency

Long abstract

The energy transition faces a fundamental paradox: while renewable capacity grows rapidly,

fossil fuel peaks persist during periods without sun or wind. Current Guarantees of Origin (GvO) sys‐

tems allow organizations to claim “green” status through annual matching, masking temporal

mismatches that perpetuate carbon emissions. “Around-the-Clock Green" reimagines this challenge as an opportunity to fundamentally reshape our relationship with energy as a natural, shared good.

This paper presents findings from a transdisciplinary research initiative led by Platform Energiebewustzijn, combining participatory futures methodologies with policy experimentation. Through

five expert sessions involving energy utilities, tech companies, government, civil society, and academia, we employ speculative design technique, including the “Dream & Do” visioning method, to co-create pathways toward 24/7 carbon-free energy (CFE) matching in the Netherlands.

Our approach centers temporal and ecological attunement: shifting from demand-driven to sup‐

ply-inspired energy cultures where daily rhythms align with solar and wind availability. We analyze the

relational dynamics between stakeholder promises (justice, resilience, circularity) and concerns (af‐

fordability, energy poverty, technological lock-ins), revealing that “the devil is in the details”, design

choices profoundly shape which values are realized.

Key themes include: living within Europe’s material boundaries through circularity; behavioral trans‐

formation beyond efficiency logics; multi-level governance balancing local autonomy with national

solidarity; and hourly certification systems enabling transparent energy claims.

By foregrounding values over optimization, we demonstrate how futures thinking can cultivate hopeful urban ecologies

where human activity breathes with nature’s rhythms, creating energy systems that are not only

carbon-free but also democratic, just, and regenerative.