In this episode, Marine Cornelis sits down with Rune Kirt, industrial designer, futurist, and co-founder of Kirt & Thomsen. His mission? To make the invisible visible. Rune helps clean tech innovators, policymakers, and communities turn energy projects from abstract concepts into tangible, visually compelling narratives that drive trust and acceptance.
Takeaways:
🎨 Seeing is Believing: How Visuals Transform Energy Perception
Energy projects—wind farms, solar parks, and grid infrastructure—often feel distant or abstract. Rune explains how immersive 3D renderings, VR, and data-driven visualizations make these projects real, relatable, and easier to support.
🤝 Building Public Trust Through Design
People are more likely to resist energy projects when they cannot fully grasp their impact. Rune’s approach fosters transparency, giving communities a clear visual understanding of proposed developments—turning skepticism into informed support.
🏗️ From Opposition to Engagement: How Storytelling Drives Acceptance
Infrastructure changes landscapes and daily lives. Rune’s firm collaborates with municipalities, businesses, and citizens to co-create visual narratives, ensuring projects feel inclusive rather than imposed.
⚡ Molten Salt Energy Storage: An Award-Winning Vision
Rune’s team won the Danish Design Award for their work on molten salt energy storage, a revolutionary solution for renewable energy storage. Their visual storytelling helped investors, policymakers, and the public see its potential and accelerate its adoption.
🌍 Beyond User-Centric: Designing for the Planet
Traditional design thinking focuses on users, but the energy transition requires a broader, planet-centric approach. Rune ensures that clean energy solutions are designed to serve both people and the planet, aligning technology with real-world needs.
📢 Why Seeing the Future is Key to the Energy Transition
The biggest challenge in clean energy is not just technology—it’s communication. If people can see and understand the energy transition, they are far more likely to support it. Rune’s work proves that compelling visuals can turn bold ideas into reality, making the transition smoother, faster, and more inclusive.
👉 Listen now to explore how visual storytelling is shaping the future of clean energy!
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Music: I Need You Here – Kamarius
Edition: Podcast Media Factory
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