ABSTRACT
Universities, as repositories and creators of local knowledge, are in a privileged position to promote and facilitate sustainable, just, and democratic energy transitions. However, their capacity to do so depends on their willingness to use their resources innovatively, beyond the ivory tower model. This chapter focuses on the experience of the National Institute for Energy and Island Sustainability (INESI) at the University of Puerto Rico, before, during and after the catastrophic impact of two hurricanes in September of 2017. It starts with a description of INESI’s origins, context, visions of the university’s engagement, and the rationale behind its platform structure. Then it depicts how the hurricanes opened a window of opportunity for a transition toward a sustainable electric system in Puerto Rico. However, official narratives built upon reconstruction myths prevented not only the insertion of local academic/scientific knowledge into the process but also considerations of justice and democracy in energy decision making. This chapter illustrates that the academic and scientific community should not only provide technical support in the transition process, but it also needs to provide other intangibles such as counternarratives based on evidence and vision-driven collaborative decision-making processes.
