Emerging Energy Practices

in the Smart Grid

PhD research presentation (early stage)

Robin SmalePromotor: Prof. Dr. Ir. Gert SpaargarenDaily supervisor: Dr. Bas van Vliet01-04-2015

Outline of the presentation

•The PhD project•Smart grids•Literature: overview and gaps•Research questions and envisioned

articles•Conceptual framework•Methodology•Conclusion

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The PhD project• Funded by NWO under the URSES project▫URSES = Uncertainty Reduction in Smart Energy

Systems▫Together with a PhD student at TU/e

E-storage and e-mobility▫MilieuCentraal and Enexis▫Demand Centre, Lancaster University, UK

• Current phase: about to start empirical research

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What are Smart Grids?• ICT upgrade of the electricity system

• Why smart grids? ▫ Electrification of daily life, ageing infrastructure▫ Climate goals, renewable energy intermittancy

• The big challenge: uncertainty about householder behaviour; without end-users, smart grids are far less valuable

• Timing of use & monitoring

• People don’t consume energy; they cook, wash, shower, watch TV, etc.

• The practices approach is our answer to the behavioural change challenge

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Conceptual scenario and outlook

Householders are energy prosumers and co-managers

Renewable generation and energy consumption

are co-managed

Analyzing diversity in energy collectives

Reflexivity in energy practices

Energy collectiveIntermediary platform for communication & action

Utility providerRe-invented role

New modes of management and communication

Grid management

Specific interests Rhythms of consumption• (De-)synchronization• Flexiblity of clusters of

practices, shift-ability• E-bandwidth of practices

Smart grid technology• Domestication processes• Reflexive engagement in

energy practices• Transforming household

relationships and beyond

Teleo-affective structures• New emotions alongside

new practices• Renewable energy use/low

carbon life style as goals ‘sui generis’

• New power-relations and responsibilities (PCAs?)

Our objective and ambition• “To improve our understanding of emerging and transforming

domestic energy practices enabled by smart grid innovations…”

• Contribute practically with sociological insights to the successful and ‘good’ roll-out of smart grid technologies

• Apply sociological imagination to envision sustainable energy system configurations and practices in the smart grid

• Develop a dynamic theoretical practices-model ...which applies to domestic energy practices ...which accounts for change & stability, diversity & sameness ...which provides handles for intervention (buiding on Strengers & Maller, 2015)

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Overview of the literature

•Categories of smart grids research▫Social psychology

E.g. Buchanan et al. (2014); Fischer (2007); RuG

▫Agent-based modeling E.g. Vytelingum et al. (2010), Mohsenian-Rad

et al. (2010) ▫Technology/design focus

E.g. Van Dam et al. (2010), Geelen (2014); TU Delft

▫Practices approach Shove, Hargreaves, Strengers, Goulden, ...; UK,

AUS, ENP

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Gaps in current research (1/2)• Economistic, instrumental, rational-actor,

individualistic understandings of householders abound; “end-user”, “consumer”, “co-manager”▫ Information-deficit model, segmentation on basis of

attitudes, ‘communication’ acceptance...▫ ...what about the value-action gap? This doesn’t work

when it comes to smart grids

• Practice-based analyses of energy consumption seem promising, but remain small scale and exploratory▫Situated performances, learning trajectories, interaction

between householders

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Gaps in current research (2/2)

•Long term routinization▫How to do relevant research into Monitoring

and Home Energy Management Systems?

•Normative and environmental dimension▫Householders turned into smart grid

instruments vs. smart grid turned into householder instrument

▫How will the smart grid empower sustainable lifestyles & democratic and low-carbon energy system configurations?

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Conceptual framework

Research questions

•Main research question:

How do householders become optimally and durably enrolled in and empowered by sustainable, smart grid-enabled energy practices?

•Four subquestions

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SQ1

What domestic energy practices are emerging and transforming in the smart grid and how do they relate to grid management?

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SQ2

How do householders learn and durably routinize new patterns of energy consuming behaviour, based on newly introduced technologies, knowledge, engagements, emotions, and know-how?

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SQ3

How do householders structure in time their everyday energy practices, and how does the smart grid contribute to more sustainable rhythms of energy consumption?

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SQ4

How can (organized) citizens and system actors co-construct smart grids which facilitate sustainable, decentralized, and democratic configurations of the energy systems and empower sustainable lifestyles?

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Methodology (1/4)

•Mix of qualitative and quantitative methods

•Semi-structured interviews with experts, stakeholders, householders (n=30-40)

•Ethnography-style observations in homes (n=10, ‘show and tell’), longitudinal

•Survey, n=500• ‘Smart Energy Platform’ meetings

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Methodology (2/4)

• International research project: NL, UK & Italy▫Groups of practioners interacting on online

English message board▫Many issues keep coming up – what do we

hope to find? How useful is a cross-cultural comparison? Etc.

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•Four Dutch Smart grid pilot projects:▫1: “Jouw Energie

Moment”, in Breda and Zwolle; focus on flexible timing of use;

▫2: “Samen Slim met Energy” in Haaren; focus on interaction between grid operator and energy collective.

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Methodology (3/4)

Methodology (4/4)•Four Dutch Smart grid

pilot projects (continued)▫3: Hoog-Dalem ‘all

electric’ neighbourhood, in Gorinchem, focus on energy storage & timing of use with renewables;

▫4: An Amsterdam project. Buiksloterham?

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In conclusion: current working hypotheses (1/2)• Smart grid = intervention into established domestic energy

practices, which are:▫ Both unique per household (micro-culture) and shared throughout

society (synchronisation) ▫ Historically constructed, socially reproduced, emotionally significant,

meaningful▫ Have a daily, weekly, yearly rhythm which people like

• Actors involved in the process of introducing the smart grid to householders should be aware of the above, IF the smart grid should lead to sustainable behaviour

• What would this lead to, practically? ▫ Co-creation with citizens▫ Facilitating deliberation within households to realign practices▫ ....

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In conclusion: current working hypotheses (2/2)• Smart grids should be tools for people to creatively self-

organize or co-organize sustainable lifestyles and local energy systems▫ NOT a controlling, invasive, disciplining technology▫ NOR should all energy conservation, timing, etc. be automatized

• In my research would then advocate a shift in the focus of smart grid policy:▫ Away from governing individuals or specific socio-demographic

groups through disciplining smart technologies and techniques...▫ ...towards the governance of energy practices and empowerment

of sustainable lifestyles at the household level based on a contextual understanding of energy consumption, sensitive to its historical construction and emotional and social significance

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Thank you!

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Visit our project website: energyinpractice.squarespace.com