Obduracy in Action
how Dutch local communities
transform centralized energy systems
Conference Energy & Society, Krakow, june 4-6 2014
Overview
• Introduction
– EU-production of Renewable Energy – Investors in Renewables
– Perspective on consumers • Theoretical framework
– Actor-Network theory
– Constraints and incentives – Obduracy
– Scripts
• Community energy
– Designing new scripts – Forging new connections • Discussion
Investors in renewables
Type Descrip9on
U9lity State or privately owned u9lity, energy company; own transmission or distribu9on network
Publicly owned non-‐ energy firm or
organiza9on
U9lity with main area of business outside energy (e.g. waterschap)
Independent power
producer Privately owned firm with main are of business electricity produc9on Farmer Privately owned, main business is agriculture
Diversified company Privately owned, main business is other than energy produc9on Power project
developer Privately owned, main area of business is to plan,build and operate power plants for other owners Sole trader Individuals or partnerships owning a produc9on plant; either specialized or
with other main area of ac9vity
Associa9on Economic associa9ons, social associa9ons, community ini9a9ves that own and operate one or several power plants.
Theory: Actor-Network Theory
• Networks of heterogeneous actors • Collective strategies
• Our local socio-technical networks – Human actors
– Buildings
– Energy technologies – Infrastructures
STS and buildings
• Cities as
‘socio-technical artefacts’
• Design by society:
– Norms, values,
assumptions are
reproduced in
products of design
• Design thinking as
‘politics of hope’
6Concepts: Obduracy
• What?
– Producing continuity – Reproducing status quo – Resisting change
Theory: Constraints
• Social traditions • Cultural traditions • Legislation • Economic constraints – Market access – Grid access• Fiscal (dis) incentives
Causes of obduracy
Theme Tradi*ons Social factors Economic barriers Physical aspects
Historical buildings Restora9on theory Iden9ty of place Decentralized energy
produc9on Consumers used for cheap ‘balancing’ Centralisa9on bias
Market paradigm geared at large scale commercial produc9on
New infrastructure necessary
Infrastructure (transport) Automobile ideology High material ‘thickness’ Energy renova9on Moral views on housing
Degrees of obduracy
Theme Cultural
Tradi*ons Social factors Economic barriers Physical barriers Degree
Historical buildings Restricted to
insiders? Poli9cally unstable moderate complicated Needs strenghtening
Decentralized
energy produc9on Strong centraliza9on bias New wave of community interest Moderate, depending on policies
High, but possible to
overcome Strong poli*cal obduracy
Infrastructure
(transport) Strong automobile ideology strong enormous high Permanent? Energy renova9on
Concepts: Scripts
• How?
– Inviting energy use (buildings, infrastructure, spatial patterns)
– Regulating household energy use (pricing, taxes, feedback price)
– Inhibiting local production (regulation, fiscal policies, grid access, feedback price)
Energy Scripts
• Distribution of heat,
light and power in a
building
• Co-choreographs
functional use
• Invites or discourages
energy use
09-19-2013 12Building a network
The stability (or obduracy) of buildings,
in the sense that they are continually surviving threats from
natural or man-made origin;
as well as their architectural form,
including traces of earlier use(r)s,
are a function of the interaction of heterogeneous elements,
such as building codes, new functions, economic pressures,
cultural values, the weather, rules and regulations;
these elements are related and mutually influence each other
in the form of a network.
(paraphrase of Michel Callon, 1980
)
Archetypical consumers
• Economic literature: consumers are homogeneous group of actors consuming along utility maximizing logic and making their consumption decisions based on comparison between different costs and prices
• The archetypical consumer is the private family household • Energy as a homogeneous product
The production of consumers
• Consumers are very heterogenous group
• Differentiated by the utilities: heavy consumers pay prices that are a fraction of those of the families
• Tax exemptions for heavy users
Changes
• Consumers become prosumers • Prosumers unite in local initiatives • Initiatives involve outside networks • … (new regulations)
• … (innovation) • … (new ‘regime’) • Result: Change in
Prosumers
•
Consumers become prosumers
Prosumer’s house …
• electricity • oil • gas Energy • care • clothing • food Personal Services • drinking water • rainwater • sewageWater
• waste Materials • delivery • automobile • public transport • bicycle Transport … and community2013: ca. 300 local energy ini9a9ves
Early 2013: 213 local ini9a9ves registered on hieropgewekt.nl
2012: es9mated 100 local ini9a9ves in NL
Source: hieropgewekt.nl, accessed 05-‐06-‐2013
Click:
Video on Sustainable Villages Network
Local Ini9a9ves
•
Prosumers unite in local ini9a9ves
•
500 ci9zen ini9a9ves in NL
•
Case study’s:
–
Hooghalen
–
Franeker
–
Zuidhorn
–
Pekela
•
Broad range of types, forms, visions
–
From informal groups to enterprises
–
From solar panels to low-‐carbon communi9es
Future visions
•
Autarchy
•
Smart grid
Grand Vision
•
The quest for autarchy?
Incremental approach
Trias Energe9ca
1. Reduce demand
•
Insula9on programs
2. Use sustainable energy
•
Green electricity
•
Green mobility projects
3. (Revised): Produce sustainable energy
•
PV-‐programs
•
Coopera9ves
Produce sustainable energy3
Designing new scripts
•
Re-‐design of buildings & infrastructure
–
Lower energy use
–
Invite local energy produc9on
•
Condi9ons
–
New regula9ons
–
New technologies adapted to local produc9on
N
N
Analysis Energy poten9al Oenkerk 3/7 – map of the built environment of the village of Oenkerk
Housing Gathering/church Cells Health care Industry Offices B&B/Hotels School Sports facili9es Shops N
Analysis Energy poten9al Oenkerk 4/7 – typology of built environment in Oenkerk (relevant for legal requirements for different types of buildings/usage)
No data Before 1920 1920 – 1959 1960 – 1972 1973 – 1987 1988 – 1995 1996 – 1997 1998 – 1999 2000 – 2005 2006 – 2010 2011 – 2014 Amer 2015 N
N
Analysis Energy poten9al Oenkerk 6/7 – Realized PV collectors & heat collectors
Poten9al PV collectors Realized PV collectors Realized heat collectors
Unsuited for PV/heat collectors
N
Analysis Energy poten9al Oenkerk 7/7 – Poten9al for PV/heat collectors
Poten9al PV collectors Realized PV collectors Realized heat collectors
Unsuited for PV/heat collectors
Crea9ng new networks
•
Local connec9ons
•
Regional support
•
Connec9ons to larger network
–
E-‐decentraal
school
energy
advisors
village hall
super-‐market
Local human and non-‐human network
camping
farmers
sportclubs
buildings
infrastructure
agriculture
forestry
municipality
local
businesses
Local
energy
ini9a9ve
Conclusion
• Open up energy system
– By designing new scripts – By forging new connections • Strengthen local community
– Commitment – Organisation
Investment and consump9on behavior
• Experience
• Access to partners • Educa9on
• Norms & Values • Shareholder driven • Co-‐crea9on • Circular • Sustainable • Capital • Knowledge • Network • Reputa9on • Informa9on • Value crea9on • General benefit • Legi9macy • Risk aptude
