WISIONS Transition

For over two decades, the WISIONS initiative has provided a unique platform for promoting innovation in renewable energy solutions for sustainable development. In 2004, the International Conference for Renewable Energies in Bonn gave strong political support to the idea that renewables can contribute to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). At that time, the link between access to clean renewable energy and sustainable development had not yet been sufficiently established in science and politics: Technologies were expensive, small solutions seemed to hinder economies of scale, there was little experience in adapting technologies to marginalised populations, and hardly any tested business models.

Addressing these challenges is the core mission of WISIONS: The initiative is based on the idea that renewable energy technologies can drive sustainable development and help combat poverty and hunger while improving economic development opportunities, health and education. Throughout the project, the WISIONS initiative has been continuously adapted to respond to the dynamic evolution of the challenges associated with achieving universal access to clean energy, and contributed through knowledge development, sharing, and implementation actions. 

The institutional evolution of WISIONS provides important lessons for the design of transformation processes towards sustainable development in the Global South, extending beyond the scientific findings disseminated through publications. For the Wuppertal Institute, the context outlined here underscores the need for reflecting on the core values and lessons learned from operating the WISIONS initiative over 20+ years, so that its key milestones and findings can inform practitioners and decision makers. Through document analyses and dialogue sessions with key protagonists, the project team will produce a synthesis manuscript, a selection of publications, and stories of change processes, illustrating the innovations supported by WISIONS. The results will be implemented in an open online knowledge space and promoted through a dissemination campaign as well as via exchange workshops.