1. Mechanisms and incentives for motivating user flexibility
PhD Candidate at NTNU, connected to CINELDIs work package 5: Flexible resources in the power system
Ingvild Firman Fjellså, PhD Candidate
Dept. of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture, NTNU

2. Understand mechanisms and incentives for motivating user flexibility  - a PhD project
Social scientific perspective
Qualitative methods (interviews)
Pre-study: researchers and industry
End-user flexibility – from end-users perspective.
Householders with and without flexibility mechanisms
The overall aim of my PhD project is to understand mechanisms and incentives for motivating user flexibility. I am doing this from a social scientific perspective, more specifically from STS (Science and Technology Studies) perspective, using qualitative methods (interviews).
As of now I have done a pre-study to get to know the field. I have interviewed central actors, including researchers, developers, grid companies, working with issues related to end-user flexibility.
The main research will be on ordinary end users, including householders with and without flexibility mechanisms.

3. Pre-study: researchers and Industry
Ordinary end-users perceived as:
Disinterested in change
Too complicated to understand
Economically rational
Problematic: attitude and behaviour
In my pre-study, when interviewing experts to understand the aspects of end-user flexibility, I found that ordinary end-users are perceived by experts as:
not particularly interested in or willing to change energy-behaviour,
The needs of the grid system is too complicated for the ordinary end-user to understand,
People in general are viewed as economically rational, ( and therefor appealing to this site of end-users may be an option)
Attitude and behaviour is identified as problematic, and in need of change ( if end-user flexibility is to be used to its full potential.. )

4. Pre-study: researchers and industry
Information
Automation
THE SOLUTIONS: Furthermore, I found some clear ideas on how to to activate and/or manage end-user flexibility, dealing with the precieved problematic attitudes and behaviour.
The presented solutions are typically; Information, automation and pricing schemes.
Some expected that information, could be either visual information through screens (mobil etc) or public awareness campaigns, can be used as a mechanism for changing energy-behaviour and public attitude.
Others were convinced that pricing schemes, appealing to peoples rational, economic sense is the way to go, by either economically punishing householders unwanted energy-behaviour or rewarding those willing to offer flexibility (in one way or another)
Others again meant that the only way to achieve end-user flexibility, is by using automation, as pricing and information are dependent on people actually responding to the mechanisms and changing behaviour, and therefor unpredictable in the long run.
Combinations of the different solutions/schemes, specially technology enabling automation along with price signals, were emphasised as solid and most preferred options.
This pre-study left me with questions to examine when studying the end-users themselves, digging into their understanding of, reflections and willingness for flexibility.
Pricing

5. End-user flexibility – from end-users perspective
Ordinary end users without flexibility mechanisms (ongoing)
(Ordinary) end users with flexibility mechanisms
SLIDE 5:
To understand perceptions, abilities and willingness for flexibility among the general population, I am studying how ordinary householders experience and reflect upon their own patterns of energy-behaviour in their everyday lives, in addition to reflections of possible future scenarios. To get close to peoples everyday practices, I aim to interview people in an everyday setting in their own homes. This also opens up the opportunity to include perspectives from more than one of the same household – and potentially the less interested party of a household.
My aim is to recruit informants broadly, and include informants with different lifestyles and backgrounds. I will recruit people in different stages of life; young, mid-life and elderly people, people living in houses and smaller apartments, householders with none, few and many children, householders who have different levels of interest in eco- friendly technologies and ideologies, high, low and various educational and cultural backgrounds.
SLIDE 6: In addition, I will recruit informants from different parts of the country, including perspectives of people living in rural and urban areas, and those who lives in different types of climates (oceanic climate, continental climate and humid continental climate).
SLIDE 7:
I will do one study, researching ordinary end-users of energy without any smart technology, as this is the majority of electricity users in Norway, and another study, with potentially more technologically interested informants, where I do research on end-users with smart technology in their households and/or as part of their every day lives.

6. Mid-Norway, urban, humid continental climate
East, rural, continental climate
SLIDE 5:
To understand perceptions, abilities and willingness for flexibility among the general population, I am studying how ordinary householders experience and reflect upon their own patterns of energy-behaviour in their everyday lives, in addition to reflections of possible future scenarios. To get close to peoples everyday practices, I aim to interview people in an everyday setting in their own homes. This also opens up the opportunity to include perspectives from more than one of the same household – and potentially the less interested party of a household.
My aim is to recruit informants broadly, and include informants with different lifestyles and backgrounds. I will recruit people in different stages of life; young, mid-life and elderly people, people living in houses and smaller apartments, householders with none, few and many children, householders who have different levels of interest in eco- friendly technologies and ideologies, high, low and various educational and cultural backgrounds.
SLIDE 6: In addition, I will recruit informants from different parts of the country, including perspectives of people living in rural and urban areas, and those who lives in different types of climates (oceanic climate, continental climate and humid continental climate).
SLIDE 7:
I will do one study, researching ordinary end-users of energy without any smart technology, as this is the majority of electricity users in Norway, and another study, with potentially more technologically interested informants, where I do research on end-users with smart technology in their households and/or as part of their every day lives.
South, urban,
oceanic climate

7. End-user flexibility – from end-users perspective
Ordinary end users without flexibility mechanisms (ongoing)
(Ordinary) end users with flexibility mechanisms
SLIDE 5:
To understand perceptions, abilities and willingness for flexibility among the general population, I am studying how ordinary householders experience and reflect upon their own patterns of energy-behaviour in their everyday lives, in addition to reflections of possible future scenarios. To get close to peoples everyday practices, I aim to interview people in an everyday setting in their own homes. This also opens up the opportunity to include perspectives from more than one of the same household – and potentially the less interested party of a household.
My aim is to recruit informants broadly, and include informants with different lifestyles and backgrounds. I will recruit people in different stages of life; young, mid-life and elderly people, people living in houses and smaller apartments, householders with none, few and many children, householders who have different levels of interest in eco- friendly technologies and ideologies, high, low and various educational and cultural backgrounds.
SLIDE 6: In addition, I will recruit informants from different parts of the country, including perspectives of people living in rural and urban areas, and those who lives in different types of climates (oceanic climate, continental climate and humid continental climate).
SLIDE 7:
I will do one study, researching ordinary end-users of energy without any smart technology, as this is the majority of electricity users in Norway, and another study, with potentially more technologically interested informants, where I do research on end-users with smart technology in their households and/or as part of their every day lives.

8. Preliminary results Economy Balance between comfort and modesty
Solidarity aspect
As I have started the study of ordinary end users without technology, I can share some preliminary results;
I find in my data, that the informants are economically oriented, however, not as much as I expected after doing my pre-study.
One woman explains: SLIDE 9 «I think it has to be more ideology, more than money, I think. If I somehow were convinces that it would be reasonable in accornace with my total use or something like that, then it would be easier for me to change than if it were just a bit cheaper»
(Woman (68) retired)
SLIDE 10 The informants also share that they experience themselves as modest users of energy, however «allowing» themselves to have a certain level of comfort (light and heat) in their homes.
Sitat: As one of them says…SLIDE 10 «I would say that in order to have an OK life, you need the heat, you need the water and you need the light, really. And that is mainly, for the first to keep up the body temperature, but also to have an OK lifestyle. Now that we are old, and we are kind of dependent of having these basic elements in life.»
SLIDE 12: I also find a strong solidarity aspect, where the informants claim that they are more then willing to contribute to the community/society/environment, AS LONG as they find the reasons valid. SLIDE 12: One reflexts: «I mean, if we were givven a reason as to why we would do it in a different way, then they way we believe in, of course that is one thing. And then we will do it. But I not sure, we are trying to separate between things we just do beacuse it is OK to do it, and the thing we do to be solidaric.»
(Man (70), lawyer, now retired)

9. «I think it has to be more ideology, more than money, I think
«I think it has to be more ideology, more than money, I think. If I somehow were convinces that it would be reasonable in accornace with my total use or something like that, then it would be easier for me to change than if it were just a bit cheaper» (Woman (68) retired)
Jeg tror det måtte være mer ideologi, mer enn penger, tror jeg. Hvis jeg ble på en eller annen måte overbevist om at det ville vært fornuftig i forhold til totalbruket eller ett eller annet sånn, så ville det ville vært lettere å få meg til å endre enn at det ville vært et øre billiger
«I think it has to be more ideology, more than money, I think. If I somehow were convinces that it would be reasonable in accornace with my total use or something like that, then it would be easier for me to change than if it were just a bit cheaper»
(Woman (68) retired) e.

10. Preliminary results Economy Balance between comfort and modesty
Solidarity aspect
As I have started the study of ordinary end users without technology, I can share some preliminary results;
I find in my data, that the informants are economically oriented, however, not as much as I expected after doing my pre-study.
One woman explains: SLIDE 9 «I think it has to be more ideology, more than money, I think. If I somehow were convinces that it would be reasonable in accornace with my total use or something like that, then it would be easier for me to change than if it were just a bit cheaper»
(Woman (68) retired)
SLIDE 10 The informants also share that they experience themselves as modest users of energy, however «allowing» themselves to have a certain level of comfort (light and heat) in their homes.
Sitat: As one of them says…SLIDE 11 «I would say that in order to have an OK life, you need the heat, you need the water and you need the light, really. And that is mainly, for the first to keep up the body temperature, but also to have an OK lifestyle. Now that we are old, and we are kind of depending on having these basic elements in our lives.» (Woman (67), health worker, now retired)
SLIDE 12: I also find a strong solidarity aspect, where the informants claim that they are more then willing to contribute to the community/society/environment, AS LONG as they find the reasons valid. SLIDE 13: One reflexts: «I mean, if we were givven a reason as to why we would do it in a different way, then they way we believe in, of course that is one thing. And then we will do it. But I not sure, we are trying to separate between things we just do beacuse it is OK to do it, and the thing we do to be solidaric.»
(Man (70), lawyer, now retired)

11. «I would say that in order to have an OK life, you need the heat, you need the water and you need the light, really. And that is mainly, for the first to keep up the body temperature, but also to have an OK lifestyle. Now that we are old, and we are kind of depending on having these basic elements in our lives.» (Woman (67), health worker, now retired)
Sitat: As one of them says: Jeg vil si at hvis man skal ha et greit liv, så må man ha varmen, man må ha vannet og man må ha lyset, egentlig. Og det er vel egentlig for det første for å holde sin temperatur, men også for å ha en grei livsstil. Nå er jo vi gamle, så du på en måte er avhengig av å ha, det som er grunnelementene i livet ditt.
«I would say that in order to have an OK life, you need the heat, you need the water and you need the light, really. And that is mainly, for the first to keep up the body temperature, but also to have an OK lifestyle. Now that we are old, and we are kind of depending on having these basic elements in our lives.» (Woman (67), health worker, now retired)

12. Preliminary results Economy Balance between comfort and modesty
Solidarity aspect
As I have started the study of ordinary end users without technology, I can share some preliminary results;
I find in my data, that the informants are economically oriented, however, not as much as I expected after doing my pre-study.
One woman explains: SLIDE 9 «I think it has to be more ideology, more than money, I think. If I somehow were convinces that it would be reasonable in accornace with my total use or something like that, then it would be easier for me to change than if it were just a bit cheaper»
(Woman (68) retired)
SLIDE 10 The informants also share that they experience themselves as modest users of energy, however «allowing» themselves to have a certain level of comfort (light and heat) in their homes.
Sitat: As one of them says…SLIDE 11 «I would say that in order to have an OK life, you need the heat, you need the water and you need the light, really. And that is mainly, for the first to keep up the body temperature, but also to have an OK lifestyle. Now that we are old, and we are kind of dependent of having these basic elements in life.»
SLIDE 12: I also find a strong solidarity aspect, where the informants claim that they are more then willing to contribute to the community/society/environment, AS LONG as they find the reasons valid. SLIDE 13: One reflexts: «I mean, if we were givven a reason as to why we would do it in a different way, then the way we believe in, of course that is one thing. And then we will do it. But I not sure, we are trying to separate between things we just do beacuse it is OK to do it, and the thing we do to be solidaric.»
(Man (70), lawyer, now retired)

13. «I mean, if we were givven a reason as to why we would do it in a different way, then the way we believe in, of course that is one thing. And then we will do it. But I not sure, we are trying to separate between things we just do beacuse it is OK to do it, and the thing we do to be solidaric.» (Man (70), lawyer, now retired)
: Ja, altså, hvis vi får en begrunnelse på hvorfor vi skal gjøre det på en annen måte enn vi tror på selv, så klart det er jo en ting. Jeg skjønner jo det at det kan være hensyn til selve strømforsyningen i landet og sånn. At det kan være grunnen til at vi skal tenke litt solidarisk. Og da kan vi jo gjøre det. Men jeg vet ikke helt, vi prøver å skille mellom ting vi gjør bare fordi det er greit å gjøre det, og ting vi gjør fordi vi skal være solidariske. Så får vi se hvordan verden forandrer seg, det kan være spennende nok det.
«I mean, if we were givven a reason as to why we would do it in a different way, then the way we believe in, of course that is one thing. And then we will do it. But I not sure, we are trying to separate between things we just do beacuse it is OK to do it, and the thing we do to be solidaric.»
(Man (70), lawyer, now retired)

14. Preliminary results Economy Balance between comfort and modesty
Solidarity aspect
As I have started the study of ordinary end users without technology, I can share some preliminary results;
I find in my data, that the informants are economically oriented, however, not as much as I expected after doing my pre-study.
One woman explains: SLIDE 9 «I think it has to be more ideology, more than money, I think. If I somehow were convinces that it would be reasonable in accornace with my total use or something like that, then it would be easier for me to change than if it were just a bit cheaper»
(Woman (68) retired)
SLIDE 10 The informants also share that they experience themselves as modest users of energy, however «allowing» themselves to have a certain level of comfort (light and heat) in their homes.
Sitat: As one of them says…SLIDE 11 «I would say that in order to have an OK life, you need the heat, you need the water and you need the light, really. And that is mainly, for the first to keep up the body temperature, but also to have an OK lifestyle. Now that we are old, and we are kind of dependent of having these basic elements in life.»
SLIDE 12 I also find a strong solidarity aspect, where the informants claim that they are more then willing to contribute to the community/society/environment, AS LONG as they find the reasons valid. SLIDE 13: One reflexts: «I mean, if we were givven a reason as to why we would do it in a different way, then the way we believe in, of course that is one thing. And then we will do it. But I not sure, we are trying to separate between things we just do beacuse it is OK to do it, and the thing we do to be solidaric.»
(Man (70), lawyer, now retired)
Slide 14?

15. Conclusion Discrepancy: experts and ordinary end-users
Important to study the end-users themselves
Valuable with social scientific and humanistic perspectives, including social aspect
To conclude,
There are some discrepancy between experts and ordinary end-users expectations toward end-users willingness for flexibility,
e.g. where people say they want to contribute and they want informantion,
and therefor it is important to study the end-users themselves.
So far, Energy consumption and flexibility mechanisms has mostly been studied from technological or economic perspectives, studying participants in pilot projects – likely above avrage technologically interested, however, including social scientific and humanistic perspectives and studying ordinary people, bringing in social aspects, may be highly valuable when seeking to understand mechanisms and incentives for motivating user-flexibility.

16. Thank you for the attention.
Ingvild Firman Fjellså, PhD Candidate
Dept. of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture, NTNU
Avsluttningsside. Thank you for the attention