Abstract
In this article we empirically study the notion of ‘The Resource Man’ put forward by Strengers (2014): a motivated and knowledgeable micro-resource manager, who uses domestic smart grid innovations to manage energy demand in a sustainable, affordable and grid-friendly way. To explore this notion, we analyse a case study where energy cooperative members engaged with an ICT-based monitoring platform focussing on three domestic energy-managing activities – energy monitoring, planning and sharing. We find that although this case provided the best prerequisites for the Resource Man to emerge, none of these activities was sustained during the project. This outcome underlines that the Resource Man perspective held by many actors in the energy industry has a narrow understanding of energy consumption and how it can be changed or made more flexible. We suggest that it is easier to understand householders’ engagement with energy through the concept of energy practice or “e-practices”. E-practices go beyond managing energy with smart devices, and can include being actively involved in an energy collective, generating, trading, storing or discussing energy. We argue that in general, domestic smart grid technology can play a potential but limited role in effecting changes to complex and interlinked daily practices.
Highlights
Many industrialized countries are aiming to ‘green’ their energy systems, in other words make them more sustainable and less carbon-dependent, by applying renewable energy sources
We find that this case provided the best prerequisites for the Resource Man to emerge, none of these activities was sustained during the project
This outcome underlines that the Resource Man perspective held by many actors in the energy industry has a narrow understanding of energy consumption and how it can be changed or made more flexible
Summary
Many industrialized countries are aiming to ‘green’ their energy systems, in other words make them more sustainable and less carbon-dependent, by applying renewable energy sources. Monitor and manage energy at the household level make electricity visible by introducing information and the tools to react to it This could be crucial for a future grid that arguably relies on its users being smart: flexible, responsible and engaged in the electricity system’s functioning. Grid operators in the Netherlands are exploring this different engagement with energy and in the process, have turned to local energy cooperatives for examples of future smart energy users These citizen groups engage with energy for a broad range of reasons: taking responsibility for combatting climate change, local economic development, self-sufficiency and reducing energy costs. Many are engaged in developing local generation capacity through solar PV and wind turbines, assisting participants in reducing energy usage, with some even becoming local sustainable energy retailers Their activities signal an above average engagement with energy, and smart grid projects aiming to explore the active participation of end-users understandably often target these forerunners.
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