FUTURE CLEAN ENERGY
Making good media
Creating irresistible visions of a renewable energy future
Research project
Current media depictions of climate change often evoke themes that can lead to hopelessness and inaction . The team at UNSW creates short , shareable videos that employ a speculative design approach reminiscent of science fiction integrated with research from the UNSW Digital Grid Futures Institute . These videos explore potential futures to consider how different aspects of society might adapt to a world powered by renewable energy .
Questions posed in their work include : What would a TV weather report look like in a renewable energy future ? Would television screens or mass media , as known today , still exist ? Could a different framing of blackouts facilitate a quicker transition of large power generation companies to renewable energy ?
> The project pilots processes for translating research into positive social progress .
> Two 45-second pilot videos speculate on what a weather report might look like in a renewable energy future . The videos were exhibited at " Unconvention ", an exhibition by UNSW ADA ' s " Massive Action ", in March 2024 . There are proposed presentations at SXSW Sydney in October 2024 .
This group , composed of designers , directors , visual effects creators , and writers , is currently in the pilot stage of the project . They have produced two speculative videos that have been exhibited and are now ready for release on social media , with four additional videos in development . Their work aims to transform complex problems related to climate change and the transition to renewable energies into inspiring and relatable content , adhering to the principle that ‘ seeing is believing ’.
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