Main research interests:

• Social and energy pratices
• Local community's engagement
• Energy democracy

Jessica Balest is a senior researcher at the Institute for Renewable energy of EURAC. She participates at the activities of the Urban and Regional Energy Systems. After bachelor’s degree in Political Sociology and a master’s degree in Sociology of the Environment, she obtained a PhD in Land, Environment, Resources and Health at the University of Padua (IT). She is working in several EU project (e.g., H2020 EnerMaps, Interreg ITA-AU Shelter) and she is a principal investigator in the Solstice ROLES project (https://roles.w.uib.no/project/). Her main issues relate to social and energy practices in daily life e.g., energy savings. She is also working for engaging marginalised local communities and vulnerable people in energy-related issues, emphasising energy democracy processes.