Arquitetura colaborativa em energias renováveis: um estudo da dinâmica de interações em uma rede de pesquisa e inovação

Abstract

The growing concern about the negative effects resulting from human activity on the planet has led various social actors to seek solutions that can contribute to more sustainable development in the economic, social, and environmental dimensions. In this scenario, the state of Ceará aims to establish itself as a strategic hub in Brazil for this transition, due to its significant potential in renewable energies (wind and solar) and the creation of the Green Hydrogen Hub at the Pecém complex. In response to this demand, the Ceará Foundation for Scientific and Technological Development Support (FUNCAP) promoted the creation of a research and innovation network in renewable energies (Network Alpha – fictitious name). The network was established through FUNCAP’s funding call, with the goal of bringing together researchers from various institutions and fostering synergies to develop research focused on renewable energy. In this context, this study’s main objective is to investigate the interaction dynamics within Network Alpha by contrasting its planned structure with its emerging network, aiming to understand the factors that drive or hinder cooperation among its members. Data collection was carried out through an electronic questionnaire with seven questions, sent to participants via email. For data analysis, the Gephi software was used. The tool was employed to structure and visualize Network Alpha. It is especially useful for exploring and analyzing different types of network graphs through various social network analysis (SNA) metrics. The network analysis revealed significant differences between the planned network (a priori network) and the actual interaction network (emerging network). The overall metrics from the transition from the a priori network to the emerging network showed a real collaboration structure characterized by low density and high segmentation, where researchers mainly interact with their immediate groups, resulting in a system with greater communication distance and potential difficulty in disseminating knowledge across different research groups. The biggest challenges, identified by the researchers themselves, are not related to the technical quality of the research but rather to governance, coordination among members, and the sustainability of the innovation ecosystem that the network aims to build.