Public acceptance of a ‘smarter’ energy future Alexa Spence Psychology and Horizon Digital...
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Public acceptance of a ‘smarter’ energy future Alexa Spence Psychology and Horizon Digital Economy Research, University of Nottingham With Christina Demski, Catherine Butler, Karen Parkhill and Nick Pidgeon Behave Conference Sep 2014
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Transcript of Public acceptance of a ‘smarter’ energy future Alexa Spence Psychology and Horizon Digital...
Public acceptance of a ‘smarter’ energy future
Alexa SpencePsychology and Horizon Digital Economy Research, University of Nottingham
With Christina Demski, Catherine Butler, Karen Parkhill and Nick Pidgeon
Behave ConferenceSep 2014
Smart meters and in-home displays
Smart meters and in-home displays, providing real time information on energy use and cost- In all UK homes by 2020
The Electricity Grid
• Today the ‘dumb’ electricity grid transmits electricity from power stations to homes, factories etc.
• Future ‘smart’ grid, including DSM technologies, will allow information as well as energy to be transmitted.
Demand Side Management
‘the modification of consumer demand for
energy through various methods’
(changing the way that people use energy)
New technologies
Financial incentives
Information feedback
National Survey
Survey conducted online with Ipsos MORI in August 2012
Quota sampling: N = 2441 Gender, age, geographic region,
employment status Survey included:
Perceptions of home energy use Concern about wider energy issues Acceptance of DSM scenarios
(Demski et al., 2013)
DSM scenarios
1. Appliances automatically turning off when left on standby
2. Shower turning off after a set period of time, manual override possible
3. Setting washing machine to wash clothes before a certain time
4. Allowing fridge-freezers to be switched off for short periods
5. Having optimum time to heat water determined by network operator
Predicting acceptance of DSM
Affordability concerns
N.B. Energy Security concerns included as a covariate
Acceptance of DSM
2.7
2.9
3.1
3.3
3.5
Accep
tan
ce o
f D
SM
Acceptance of DSM
Own a
prep
aym
ent m
eter
Do no
t own
a pr
epay
men
t met
er3
3.1
3.2
3.3
Acc
ep
tan
ce o
f D
SM
Social grade and acceptance
N.B. Energy Security concerns included as a covariate
Conclusions
Overall people willing to reduce energy and spend time on this
People concerned about costs less accepting of DSM Potential financial benefits not apparent or believed Cost concerns associated with preparedness to think
about energy use but also with unwillingness to share data
Less likely to own home and have capital to invest Opportunities for DSM where autonomy and control are
retained Environmental frames should be considered Role for policy development to promote uptake
and to ensure even distribution of costs
Alexa Spence
University of Nottingham
UK Energy Research Centrewww.ukerc.ac.uk
