Integration of smart-grid
technologies in the everyday life
PhD student Freja Friis
Danish Building Research Institute
Aalborg University, Copenhagen, Denmark
Background
Overall aim
peak-
To get more Renewables into the energy system
Knowledge on users management of smart grid technologies
Help to fill out the lack of research on integration of peak-shaving
technologies in the end-user design
Challenges
To balance consumption and production in the energy system
To engage users to manage their consumption
Solution
Smart-grids potential to balance fluctuations through flexible
(intelligent EV) load-management
Overall research question
How do Electric Vehicles and Dynamic Pricing influence on
households everyday social practices?
Purpose: To get a more complex understanding of households perceptions
according to integrate smart-grid technology into their everyday
Case-study
18 test-pilots from two Danish towns (context: Country-side, southern part of
Jutland), participated in the two demonstration projects ’Test-an-EV’ and
’Project Dynamic Pricing’ during 5 months in the summer-period 2012
Project ‘Test-an-EV’
‘Project Dynamic Pricing’
Method and empirical material
Qualitative interviews with 8 households
•
•
•
Selection: widest variation on socio-economic parameters among the 18 participants
Front-runners & first-adopters, huge engagement and interest in the EV technology
Focus: everyday changes (routines and habits) according to the two new technologies
Participant observation on information meetings (car-handover, mid-time evaluation)
A Survey to the test-pilots (evaluation carried out by CLEVER)
Test-pilots
Gen
der
Age
Education
Annual income
(in euro)
Civil
state
House
holds
size
Children
Transportati
on need
(km)
Environmental
awareness
Technological
awareness
Test-pilot 1
F
61
Skilled
60.000- 101.000
Married
2
0
40-60
High
Medium
Test-pilot 2
M
42
Unskilled
31.000- 60.000
Married
4
2 h, 1 o
20-40
Low
High
Test-pilot 3
M
51
Unskilled
60.000- 101.000
Married
3
1 h, 2 o
60-70
Medium
Medium
Test-pilot 4
M
45
Skilled
31.000- 60.000
Single
2
1h
60-70
High
High
Test-pilot 5
F
32
Skilled
31.000- 60.000
Married
4
2h
20-40
Medium
Medium
Test-pilot 6
F
33
Skilled
31.000- 60.000
Married
2
o
20-40
Low
Medium
Test-pilot 7
F
48
Academic
101.000-134.000
Single
2
1 h, 3 o
0-20
Medium
Medium
Test-pilot 8
M
36
Skilled
101.000-134.000
Married
4
2h
40-60
High
High
Analytical approach
The empirical materiel is analysed through the SPT concept
Social Practice Theory
• Offers a concept to ‘understand and explain’ dynamics (development,
persistence and changes) in social practices
• The conceptualisation focuses on the dynamic of practices in everyday life
• Sociological theory, BUT recognises the meaning of materiality
Know-how and
embodied
knowledge
Technology
Social practice
Institutionalised
knowledge and
explicit ‘rules’
Changes in test-pilots everyday life
Analytical strategy
Changes are identified through the 4 elements and their interactions
2 new social practices
Technology
Know-how and
embodied
knowledge
1. New driving performances
&
2. New consumption patterns
(consumption during night)
Engagement
Institutionalised
knowledge and
explicit ‘rules’
1. New driving performances
Technology
EV-technology is constantly compared with conventional technology
Even though EVs look like conventional cars, the test-pilots developed…….
1. New driving performances
Know-how
and embodied
knowledge
New driving techniques (due to the limited range + battery
capacity)
Increased awareness of driving distances and consumption during driving
Developed more ‘economic’, sustainable driving techniques to save power – competition
Increased awareness of other people in the traffic (due to the silence of the car)
Expectations: The new driving techniques will spill-over on conventional car driving
1. New driving performances
Institutionalised
knowledge and
explicit ‘rules’
Load-management (2 ½ months individual and 2 ½ months central management,
controlled by CLEVER)
Individual charging
In general the everyday EV charging was unproblematic > the charging process was perceived as a
routine which was an integrated part of the evening ritual
A relief to manage the charging process yourself and be independent of gas stations
Problems in manual charging: Either the timer function didn’t work or it was too complicated to
managed?
When the charging failed (few times) > it felt as a stressful/unsecure element in the everyday
(especially among children families)
Central load-management
A great support and satisfaction by letting CLEVER control the load-management
Success criteria: The technology has to be ‘as easy as possible’
1. New driving performances
Engagement
Engagement > A prestige full sustainable performance
Better conscience and a nicer stomach-feeling
A feeling of being more green and environmental friendly
A belief in EVs as the auto mobility technology in the future
Proud about their EV-driving > positive support from the outside world > excellent ambassadors
More frequent driving in stead of walking and biking
A need for an extra car (An experience of freedom and enhanced mobility and comfort, BUT not
realistic expenses!
2. New consumption patterns
All households moved their flexible electricity consumption to the night time
during the project
•
•
Flexible electricity-consumption: dishing, laundry, tumble drying and EV-charging
Motivated by the dynamic net tariffs
New (morning) routines and habits
•
•
•
Empty the dishwasher
Hang up laundry
Especially children families express the mornings as more busy (less flexible), but in
general unproblematic
2. New consumption patterns
Engagement
Institutionalised
knowledge and
explicit ‘rules’
An economic, participatory and environmental incentive
• Huge economic incentive > ‘the money saving’ factor has huge impact
• The projects rules/concept have huge influence on the test-pilots
expectations and feeling of commitment
• New consumption patterns developed new routines
2. New consumption patterns
Increased environmental consciousness and awareness of energy consumption
•
•
Turn of unnecessary light, installation of timers and acquisition of low energy appliances
Self-perceptions: To be more sustainable consumers in the future
Results/conclusion
•
Peak-shaving technologies change consumption practices in the everyday life.
•
Social practices change through innovation and interaction in the four elements that constitute social
practices: technology, engagement, institutionalised rules and/or know-how.
•
The experimental/test element and institutional rules are essential to change consumption patterns
and to the degree of participation, ownership and commitment.
•
The participatory element has increased awareness of environmental issues and consumption in the
test-period.
•
Socio-economic conditions determine the degree of flexibility to change consumption patterns.
•
Success criteria: Technology (load-management) has to be ‘as easy as possible’.
•
Question to further research: To what extent will the new consumption patterns persist after the two
demonstration projects end????
Thanks for your attention!