Smart Grid- Smart Thinking? Exploring the construction of end-users in Danish smart grid pilot projects

Jørgensen, Laura Bothilde Taisbak

4. Term

Sustainable Design (M.SC)

2017

2017-06-09

78 pages

The research conducted in this thesis aims at exploring the way in which private household consumers and their consumption constructed in the Danish smart grid demonstration projects, eFlex and EcoGrid EU, as well as discuss what the implications of this construction are, in regards to future smart grid development. This research is conducted in a exploratory and primarily inductive way, in which a concluding report from each project undergoes a process of document analysis to investigate the way in which the consumer role was understood and simultaneously constructed. Following this, a literature review is presented in which the findings made in the document analysis is held up against findings made within the scientific community. The findings made both in regards to the document analysis and the literature review are then discussed in regards to their implications in relation to a future national implementation. Finally, a collective conclusion of the research is made. The thesis concludes that the projects’ approached consumption as being the result of conscious decisions made by the consumer and could therefore be changed, were the right information and incentive found. This framing of consumption was questioned by the thesis, primarily in light of the limited success achieved on the basis of this individualistic approach. Furthermore, the projects’ focus on automated consumption change is critically reviewed in light of the limited impact in contemporary Denmark.

The research conducted in this thesis aims at exploring the way in which private household consumers and their consumption constructed in the Danish smart grid demonstration projects, eFlex and EcoGrid EU, as well as discuss what the implications of this construction are, in regards to future smart grid development. This research is conducted in a exploratory and primarily inductive way, in which a concluding report from each project undergoes a process of document analysis to investigate the way in which the consumer role was understood and simultaneously constructed. Following this, a literature review is presented in which the findings made in the document analysis is held up against findings made within the scientific community. The findings made both in regards to the document analysis and the literature review are then discussed in regards to their implications in relation to a future national implementation. Finally, a collective conclusion of the research is made. The thesis concludes that the projects’ approached consumption as being the result of conscious decisions made by the consumer and could therefore be changed, were the right information and incentive found. This framing of consumption was questioned by the thesis, primarily in light of the limited success achieved on the basis of this individualistic approach. Furthermore, the projects’ focus on automated consumption change is critically reviewed in light of the limited impact in contemporary Denmark.

smart grid ; demonstration project ; eFlex ; EcoGrid EU ; consumers ; consumption ; users

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