Johanna Liljenfeldt

I am a human geographer specialized in spatial planning. I am employed as Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor in Energy Transition at Uppsala University, Department of Earth Sciences, Campus Gotland.

My research centers on energy transition processes and energy system change, with a specific focus on how to plan for, engage people in and make decisions within such processes. Examples of key concepts from my research are participatory planning, community engagement, social acceptance, and energy justice. My empirical interest include Nordic wind power development processes, regional energy system change (specifically the case of the Gotland Energy Pilot) and development of energy communities in a Swedish context.

Currently, I am primarily engaged in the following research projects:

• Local ownership in transitions towards sustainable energy systems (project leader)
• Multiple greenhouse gases mitigation to achieve “Energy efficient negative emissions from agricultural sector” (supervisor of PhD Student Charlotte Flodin)
• Gotland’s sustainable energy system transition: resources, demand and planning (supervisor of PhD Student Gubb Marit Stigson)
• RURACTIVE - Empowering rural communities to act for change (technical partner)
• StartSun - Start-ups for solar energy communities (technical partner)

I have a broad experience of developing, teaching in and administrating university courses and programs on undergraduate, masters as well as PhD levels. I lecture in both Swedish and English, in topics such as spatial planning, public consultation processes, energy transition policy, wind power development, and scientific methods. Presently, I am predominantly engaged in teaching in the Bachelor Program in Energy Transition – Sustainability and Leadership, and in the Master Program in Wind Power Project Management.

An important part of my work include engaging and cooperating with stakeholders outside of universities. Examples include e.g. outreach projects for disseminating research on wind power to public and private sector stakeholders, contributing to development of regional energy and climate policies, and assisting in capacity building of local energy communities.