Secondee: András Ács Pedersen, Zealand, Denmark
Hosting organization: Lancey Energy Storage, France
Secondment period: from 28/3 to 27/4 2025.
Changing perspectives, while often difficult, is also a beneficial undertaking.
In April 2025, I had the fantastic opportunity to change both office and perspectives, by swapping my usual office in the flatlands of Denmark for the mountains of France during a research secondment. My destinations were Lancey Energy Storage and the Grenoble Ecole de Management.
This experience offered a valuable contribution to my work on a book chapter, exploring the practical connection between sustainability and digital innovation. A key highlight was my time with Lancey.fr, an innovative company revolutionizing home heating.
Lancey’s flagship product, a smart electric radiator with an integrated battery, showcases how thoughtful design can drive energy efficiency. The radiator charges its battery when electricity is cheap and uses that stored energy when prices peak. Coupled with solar panels, this system aims to maximize photovoltaic self-consumption and significantly reduce energy bills.
One of Lancey’s founders, Raphaël Meyer, was kind enough to meet with me for an interview, which now forms the basis for a case study about the company. Additionally, Lancey’s employees were very welcoming and allowed me the opportunity to delve into examining the potential for combining electric radiators and energy storage in a Scandinavian context.
My time at Grenoble Ecole de Management added another dimension to the experience. Maggie-Qiuzhu Mei invited me to a seminar on Open Innovation led by Marion Poetz, who presented a structured approach to crowdsourcing research questions and problem formulations. Marion’s work on open innovation provides also a valuable addition to the book chapter.
Relocating and immersing myself in a new environment, connecting with specialists in their fields, and visiting the local FabLab proved stimulating. The secondment allowed me to see my work from fresh angles, challenging assumptions and inspiring new directions for the book chapter.
This period of reflection also coincided with the emergence of deep research tools from companies like Google and OpenAI. The secondment gave me the headspace to evaluate how these tools might apply to my own research – with mixed results so far.
From the practical innovations at Lancey to the theoretical frameworks discussed at Grenoble Ecole de Management, the entire experience helped me to proceed with my work focusing on a more sustainable future. Thank you for the hosts and the program committee!