The energy transition is upon us. Green technology can help us make a cleaner, healthier planet, but it also needs to strike a balance with citizens’ needs.

As green technology becomes implemented in ‘smart’ homes and cities, we need to be careful about how it affects people and society. Personal privacy needs to be respected, including with respect to data. Economic and other forms of inequality need to be countered to ensure that technology does not deepen the divide between who has access to which resources or who is prioritised. We cannot rely on algorithmic decision-making – algorithmic use should be transparent and subject to high scrutiny and accountability mechanisms. All of this points to the need for intentional collaboration with citizens when developing tech and policy in the energy transition.