Abstract

The paper is a reflexive analysis of a self experienced action research process that has been carried out as part of the Solar Transitions project from 2009 and onwards on development and implementation of socio-technical designs for viable solar power supply in remote villages. The process has been an activity of South-South-North transfer, exchange and co-creation of knowledge. The paper builds on a rich empirical material collected during a large number of stepwise planning activities, discussions, research activities and common struggles to solve challenges for the design and implementation of a village solar electricity system in Kenya. The paper discusses challenges and opportunities of carrying out such action research. Topics that receive special attention are the scientific and practical value of action research (i.e. the role of research for practice and the role of practice for research) as well as the role for social scientists in participating in and leading practical efforts for social and technological change in cooperation with engineers and other practitioners. The paper shows how the social scientists’ and practitioners’ roles have been in the Solar Transitions project, and describes factors that have influenced their common work. The relevance and usefulness of the social science contributions that have been fed into the process of designing and implementing solar energy by the trans-disciplinary team is reflected upon. The paper also touches upon how the social science led action research has worked for inspiration, socio-technical learning and co-creation of knowledge for transfer of technology between geographical contexts. Conference themes addressed in the paper: 2) Implementing technologies. The paper addresses the scientific challenges and the role of social scientists in implementing technologies and related societal changes. The paper also touches upon the topic of transforming practi

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