Esther van der Waal

Esther van der Waal is a postdoctoral researcher with a background in spatial sciences as well as science and technology studies.

She pursued her PhD at the Integrated Research on Energy, Environment and Society Group at the University of Groningen. This work focuses on the transformative potential of local energy initiatives as innovators in the energy transition.

Her research interests include local energy initiatives, socio-technical innovation, social impact analysis, social studies of energy sustainability, local embedding of technology, energy policy, and interactive and participative planning as well as governance.

Besides this CREDS project on Social entrepreneurship at the grid edge, she also works within the EU Horizon 2020 project COMETS, COllective action Models for Energy Transition and Social innovation.