EnergyPolicyGroup

Towardspragma6cnarra6vesofsocietalengagementintheUKenergysystem

AAG,Boston,5thApril2017

IainSoutar&CatherineMitchell

EnergyPolicyGroup,UniversityofExeter,UK

i.soutar@exeter.ac.uk@isoutar

EnergyPolicyGroup

Overview1.  ChangingenergysystemintheUK(andelsewhere)has

potenKalforprofoundimplicaKonsforsocietalengagement

2.  DifferentactorsunderstandthispotenKalindifferentways3.  SuchunderstandingsareembeddedwithinnarraKvesof

engagement,whichareemployedtohelp–  Understandandcommunicateprocessesofchange–  ShapediscourseandpoliKcsofchange

but4.  NarraKvesarenecessarilysimplisKc&relyonassumpKons5.  PolicymakingneedspragmaKcnarraKvesinwhichkey

assumpKonsarechallenged

EnergyPolicyGroup

Historicalcontext:EnergysystemcentralizaKonandtheabstracKon/separaKonofenergyfrom

thepublic•  Centralizedinfrastructures,supportedbytechnological&

culturalnormsestablishedasdominantregimethroughout1900s

•  Energyrenderedincreasinglyabstract–  Universalexpansionofelectricity(andtolesserextentgas)networksservedtofurtherabstractenergyfrompublicrelaKvetoprecursorfuelsi.e.coal

–  StandardizaKonofindustriesmeanenergyisnon-differenKable(allelectrons/methanearethesame)

–  Culturalembeddingoftechnologiesmeanmostenergyusesarenon-subsKtutable(i.e.onlyelectricitywilldo)

–  Credit-basedmeteringmeansenergyisconKnuouslyconsumed•  Takentogether,thisgivesconsumersli\leincenKveto

alter,oreventhinkaboutdemandbehaviors

EnergyPolicyGroup

DecentralizaKonofenergyinfrastructuresofferspotenKalforreengagementofpublic•  DecentralizaKonofenergysupplythroughout2000sdrivenby–  Increasedknowledge/acKonaroundclimatechange–  DeepeningpenetraKonofaffordablesupplytechnologiesathousehold/communityscales

•  ThisisresulKnginprofoundchangesrelatedtosocietalengagement–  Newinfrastructuresembeddedamongpublic–  Shi]ingeographiesofownership,andassociatedvalue–  ChangesinnoKonsof‘control’,i.e.howsystemisplanned,managed,etc

EnergyPolicyGroup

Storiesofre-engagement:theroleofnarraKves

•  NarraKvesarecra]edas‘vehiclesofmeaning’•  TheyservetoarKculateandemphasizespecificcharacters,

events,plots&morals,connecKngcurrentproblemstofuturevisions

•  RelevanttoallactorsinterestedinunderstandingandaffecKngchangeintheenergysystem

•  Valuablein–  Understandingandcommunicateprocessesofchange–  ShapediscourseandpoliKcsofchange

•  Energypolicy(andotherpublicpolicy)canbeunderstoodtoresultinpartfromcreaKonanddeploymentofcompellingnarraKvediscourses

EnergyPolicyGroup

NarraKvesconveynormaKverepresentaKonsofenergysystem

•  Differentactors‘market’specificframings,ideas,methods,andsoluKons,e.g.judgmentsabout–  rolesthatactorsshouldplay–  Technologiesthatshouldbeemployed–  Costsandbenefitsthatshouldmaterialize

•  Adherencetophilosophical/moralvaluesassociatedwithprocessesandoutcomesofsocietalengagemente.g.equity,legiKmacy,theroleofmarketsetc.

EnergyPolicyGroup

…butalsoposiKverepresentaKonsofenergysystemchange

•  NarraKvesmustalsobeplausible,i.e.groundedinrealityintermsof– Socialaspects(i.e.howfutureactorswillbehave)– Technical(i.e.howfuturetechnologymixeswillperform)

– Economic(i.e.howtechnologicalcostswillchange)

– PoliKcal(i.e.howchangewillbeenabled)

EnergyPolicyGroup

Smartenergyinfrastructure:twodisKnctnarraKvesemerging

•  TwoemergingnarraKvesofre-engagmentwithdisKnctnormaKve&posiKveassumpKons

1.  SystemchangeisopportunityforlegiKmate,justandequitableenergyfutures:–  TransformaKvedemocra6za6ondrivenbyfrustratedpublic–  Broadframingofsustainability–  AssumpKonsaroundwhatconsKtutes‘sustainability’

2.  Systemchangeisopportunityforbe\eropKmizaKonoffutureenergysystem:–  Rolloutofsmartgridwillemancipatedisengagedconsumerandcreateinformed,flexible,dynamicenergyconsumer

–  Focusonminimizingsystemcost–  AssumpKonsaroundefficacyofmarketsinaffecKngengagement

EnergyPolicyGroup

ReconcilingdivergentnarraKves

•  However,democraKzaKonandopKmizaKonnarraKvesarenotnecessarilycomplimentary

•  EstablishedinterestslikelytonarrowsmartgriddiscoursesdowntoopKmizaKonnarraKve

but•  SmartgridwillnotautomaKcallydeliveruponsocietalaswellaseconomicobjecKves–  E.g.vulnerablecustomersmayrepresentleastvalueintermsofsmartgridrollout

–  TheextenttowhichcontrolmustbesacrificedtomaximisesystemopKmizaKonisuncertain

EnergyPolicyGroup

TowardspragmaKcnarraKves•  TobeusefulforpracKKoners(policymakers,scholars,andothers),narraKvesmustbebothrigorousandrelevant

•  RigourintermsofreflecKngstateoftheartempiricalknowledgeaboutworkingsofenergysystem–  Requiresinsightsfromdiversedisciplines–  Promisingroleforbehavioraleconomicsinhelpingusunderstandnon-raKonalacKonsofindividuals

•  RelevantintermsofofferingpracKcalinsightsintermsofhowbesttofocuspolicy– Mustbedevelopedalongsideoverarchingvisionforenergysystem

–  Visionsmustbedevelopedwith,ratherthanfor,society

EnergyPolicyGroup

i.soutar@exeter.ac.ukisoutar