The V4InnovatE project set out to operationalise the Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) concept for energy‑transition technologies by creating a flexible indicator system that can be applied to both new and existing technologies. The system was designed to support incremental improvement and post‑deployment adjustments, recognising that many renewable technologies are already in use and that path dependencies become more pronounced as technologies mature. By integrating the five core RRI pillars—anticipation, reflection, responsiveness, inclusion, and transparency—at a process level, and by adding a product level that evaluates social, ethical, and ecological impacts, the indicator framework offers a comprehensive tool for assessing whether innovations align with societal goals such as biodiversity protection and sustainability.

To demonstrate the system’s applicability, the project produced a series of case studies covering wind energy and bird protection, as well as battery technology and recycling. In each case, the indicator set was tailored to highlight technology‑specific challenges and to identify research gaps that hinder broader acceptance. For example, the wind‑energy case study examined how bird‑friendly turbine designs could be evaluated against the inclusion and transparency criteria, while the battery case study assessed recycling pathways for compliance with environmental standards. Although the report does not provide quantitative performance metrics, the successful application of the indicator system across these diverse scenarios confirms its versatility and its capacity to guide stakeholders in designing more socially acceptable innovations.

The indicator system is intentionally modular, allowing it to be adapted to different maturity levels and regulatory contexts. It can be used by policymakers to shape technology policies that foster better acceptance conditions, by industry to embed societal values early in product development, and by civil society to hold innovators accountable. The accompanying guidance document translates the indicator framework into actionable steps for actors across the innovation ecosystem, aiming to accelerate the diffusion of energy‑transition technologies by aligning them more closely with public expectations and ethical norms.

Collaboration was central to the project’s success. The lead institution, the Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden‑Württemberg (ZSW), coordinated the development of the indicator prototypes and integrated feedback from workshops and simulation models. The University of Hohenheim contributed expertise in environmental assessment and stakeholder engagement, while DIALOGIK, a non‑profit research and consulting firm, provided methodological support and facilitated the translation of academic findings into practice‑oriented tools. The project ran from 1 October 2020 to 30 September 2023 for ZSW and the University of Hohenheim, and until 30 November 2023 for DIALOGIK, under funding from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) with grant numbers 03E15206A, 03EI5206B, and 03El5206C. This interdisciplinary partnership combined scientific research, practical application, and stakeholder engagement to produce a robust, adaptable framework that can be deployed across the energy‑transition landscape to enhance societal acceptance and accelerate technology diffusion.