Human energy consumption and its direct link to global climate change is among the most defining and challenging issues of our time. The original Material Cultures of Energy project (MCE, conducted in 2014-2017) examined how copiously consumed energy transformed daily life during the 20th century. The MCE project successfully revealed that consumers have shaped the diverse patterns of energy consumption in accordance with distinctively local, regional and national energy cultures. This follow-on project will build on the successes of MCE and its intervention into today's energy issues by directly engaging with the process of communicating energy-related knowledge and information. This approach presents a unique opportunity for arts and humanities research to directly influence professional practices that have important bearings on energy users' behaviour, knowledge and attitude.

This project will explore methods for improving communication about energy-related information and knowledge to the public. The project will mobilise the MCE project's legacy assets and engage with a new community of stakeholders: 'energy communicators' such as museum curators; public relations and communication officers in business, government offices, NGOs, community energy groups. By collaborating with the key mediators of energy-related information, the project seeks to deliver the original project's research findings-in the broader context of today's energy communication-to stakeholders and the public effectively and immediately. Simultaneously, the project aims to benefit communication experts by creating new collaborative partnerships and a network of research institutions, the cultural industry and the energy sector.

Using public museums of the Science Museum Group as the main site of dialogue and public events, the project will conduct five interrelated activities to address the Five Challenges for Energy Communication:

Challenge 1. Object-based communication
Challenge 2. Behavioural intervention
Challenge 3. Visual media communication
Challenge 4. Participatory communication
Challenge 5. Community engagement

These challenges form the bases of the project's five activities that are designed to foster a multidisciplinary dialogue, co-creation process and cross-fertilisation of expertise in the field of energy communication. The five activities and their main objectives are as follows:

- Five Challenges Knowledge Exchange Sessions will create a sustained dialogue within the core project group, a multidisciplinary group of energy communicators working in research and practice.
- The project's public events at regional science festivals will combine the insights from both the MCE project and the follow-on KE sessions in a tangible form.
- An Energy Communication Conference will be organised to expand the project's scope, incorporating a wider community of communication experts within and outside of the UK.
- The Energy Communication Network will perpetuate a close working relationship among energy communicators by establishing an online-based professional network and hub of information. The network will operate via the project website and is expected to continue beyond the life of the project.
- The Energy Communication Toolkit will make available the collective knowledge and insights of energy communicators in an open-access format, intended as a reference and as learning material for communication experts and students.

Our project partners represent diverse areas of energy communication, including the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), the Behavioural Insights Team, the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem), the Community Energy England and the Carbon Co-op. By working closely with these partners, the follow-on project is expected to activate a dialogue across different fields of energy communication in a concerted effort to tackle major challenges for energy communication.

Potential Impact:
The follow-on project establishes structured impact pathways. The immediate impact will be on the policy and practice of our partners (museum curators and communication officers of energy-related organisations). Through the KE sessions and co-creation of public events, the project's activities will feed historical and contemporary insights and experience into today's practice of energy communication in the museum and energy sectors. The Energy Communication Network, including the expert workshop participants, will bring the project's impact to a wider community of energy communication experts. The Energy Communication Toolkit will serve as a tangible legacy asset of the project and, as a learning and reference material available for free download, will benefit communication experts, researchers and students. The project's public events will directly engage with the visitors to science festivals, providing a learning opportunity for its target audiences (18+ years old).
Museum curators and media archivists: This project will serve as a training and educational programme for curators and archivists in the partner museums and cultural institutions. The participation of museum professionals at the KE sessions will inform their work on forming future communication and design policies in the partner museums. An immediate impact will be created by the project's collaboration with the Manchester Museum of Science & Industry (MSI). The project will work closely with the lead curator of the 'Electricity: The Spark of Life' exhibition, and the project's first public event will be offered to the public as a part of the exhibition. Also, the Energy Communication Toolkit will inform the MSI's energy-related exhibitions in the future. Furthermore, the project's discussion on visual media communication will contribute to the British Film Institute's (BFI) future digitisation and engagement policy. More specifically, BFI has agreed to explore the possibilities for permanently archiving modern energy communication films for research and public view.
Energy NGOs and community energy groups: The KE sessions will bring communication officers of these organisations into direct contact with cultural institutions, providing opportunities to develop and test innovative methods of communication and engagement, especially through cultural channels. The delegates from the partner organisations, such as the Community Energy England and the Energy Co-op will be given a chance to critically review their communication policies and practices with a wider community of experts at the project conference. The insights gained from the activities will be transferred through the partner organisations' executive meetings, their communication with members and their normal course of business such as consultations with local energy groups.
Energy providers: Across the UK and elsewhere, several visitor centres are operated by energy providers. The museum or exhibition format is commonly employed to communicate information at those sites. EDF Energy, a partner, runs a number of visitor centres creating a positive relationship with local communities. By having communication officers of EDF Energy in the research group, the project will assist with refining the engagement strategy for the public front of energy providers.
Government organisations: Behavioural change is one of the key concerns of governmental organisations, such as the BEIS, Ofgem and the Behavioural Insights Team. The follow-on project aims to deliver insights and knowledge, especially about cultural communication and its effect on behavioural change, to these important public players in the energy sector. By working closely with these organisations, the project will inform both the future policy and the design of energy-related communication in these bodies. BEIS recognises the potential benefit of the Energy Communication Toolkit as a guideline for its future communication work.