Marius Korsnes

I work as a post doctoral researcher connected to the The Research Centre on Zero Emission Neighbourhoods in Smart Cities (ZEN) and the Centre for Sustainable Energy Studies (CenSES). I focus on the role of "prosumers" and new forms of energy use in low-energy buildings and neighborhoods. I compare "prosumers" with respect to energy use and household practices in urban dwellings and neighborhoods in China and Norway.

Until May 2016 I worked with the Living Lab project. The Living Lab is a zero emission house built for engineering and social science experiments. My work concentrated on the social science aspects of the project, trying to gain a better understanding of how people use this state-of-the-art technology.

In 2015 I defended my PhD thesis titeled 'Chinese Renewable Struggles. Innovation, the Arts of the State and Offshore Wind Technology'. The PhD project examined innovation and technological learning in the making of China’s offshore wind industry. In the thesis innovation is viewed broadly, incorporating interactive learning and circulation of knowledge, competencies, experiences and expectations connected with offshore wind technology. In particular, the thesis highlights certain Chinese characteristics of industrial upgrading that are useful for understanding the way in which China approaches renewable energy industries in general, and how companies outside of China can contribute (or not) to this process.

The thesis shows how innovation and learning are processes imbued with politics. The innovation process is embedded in complex transactions and translations and negotiations of power, pride and culture that transcend the technology – here, offshore wind turbines. In other words, the thesis is concerned with the business and politics of offshore wind technology development. The main questions I seek to answer are therefore: How does China’s offshore wind technology development unfold, and what role does European offshore wind experience play in this development?