Think power – Bristol researchers want you to imagine future energy systems

Oliver Dean

Oliver Dean

Press release issued: 23 February 2022

Researchers at the University of Bristol have launched a series of artworks to help households, community organisations and schools understand and discuss how we will generate and use energy in the future.

Funded by Bristol Digital Futures Institute, the Smart Lens project tackles the mystery behind the inner workings of fast-changing digital technologies being developed to manage our energy use.

In a series of illustrations, researchers across social sciences and computer sciences explain complex ideas to help shape the debate around smart energy futures. They aim to spark conversations around low carbon neighbourhoods, street-level microgrids, retrofitting Bristol’s Victorian terraces, smart battery rental, what new power grids might look like, developing flexible systems, trading energy and smart meters.

Research Associate at the University of Bristol’s Computer Science Department Dr Ola Michalec said:

“To influence and shape our energy use we all need to become fluent in the language of emerging technologies.

“Digital technologies are tough to visualise and describe. Our project aims to help everyone contribute to the big debate about how we source and use energy in the future. I really want our images, created by local artist Oliver Dean to be shared and discussed so they are free to anyone to access.”

Bristol Digital Futures Institute funded five seedcorn projects, including the Smart Lens project, to kickstart ideas that will drive sociotechnical innovations.

BDFI Partnerships Manager Hayley Shaw added:

“The Smart Lens project is an excellent example of how collaboration between computer science, social science and an artist can help put social issues at the heart of digital design. By funding small projects we hope that they get the start they need to turn into new major research programmes”

The five illustrations are available here to view and here to download for use with credits.

Further information

In presentations or publications, the credit should be added as a caption below the image and in the reference list as follows: “[image title] 2022. Illustration by Oliver Dean. For SMART LENS project led by Dr Ola Michalec and Dr Ruzanna Chitchyan. Bristol Digital Futures Institute” . For social media tag Oliver Dean on twitter and instagram @_oliverdean

Please seek permission from the project team to edit the artwork or cut out parts of illustrations.

Bristol Digital Futures Institute was launched in 2019 to transform the way digital technology is created for a more inclusive, prosperous and sustainable society. The £100m Institute is pioneering a different approach to digital technology innovate, bringing together social and technological expertise from across the University of Bristol and collaborators in academia, industry, government and local communities. In 2022 it will be the first research hub to open in Temple Quarter Campus and launch the first of several cutting-edge research facilities.