Flexible electricity use in households: barriers, opportunities and effects.

This project addresses the effect of various measures aimed at households to equalize power peaks in the grid. We will investigate the effects on energy practices, motivation for energy saving and energy investments of these instruments. We also address the consequences of different instruments for increased flexibility in household electricity use (FSH) for different socio-economic groups. Both questions are important to address in order to build knowledge about how households can be motivated to respond to grid capacity constraints. We draw on practice theory, socio-technical systems thinking and organizational theory to gain a broader perspective on energy use and the impact of policy in this area beyond that provided by psychological and economic theories. We use several methods to answer the questions in the project, including focus groups, qualitative in-depth interviews, observation and diary entries.