4. Energy Systems | Design for Changing Values

Objective

To apply the developing theory of value change to empirical cases in the realm of energy systems (project objective 4); to study potential design strategies for better dealing with value change in the domain of energy systems (project objective 5).

How to Deal with Value Change in Energy Systems?

Energy systems are sociotechnical systems; they are typically not designed by one designer and evolve over time. Still they are shaped by values and sociotechnical visions. Many of our current energy systems were designed at a time when sustainability was a less important value than currently. In many countries, the need for an energy transition to more sustainable energy systems is felt. It is obvious that the energy transition is a technical and economic transition, but it also requires changes in institutions and values.

Various kinds of energy systems have been studied from the perspective of value sensitive design, including offshore energy parks, smart grids, nuclear energy, shale gas and biofuels. These and other studies have revealed a large range of values that play a role, or should play a role in the design of energy systems including energy efficiency; sustainability and other environmental values; security and reliability; social justice and fairness; autonomy and power; safety; privacy, aesthetics and landscape embedding. Although these studies suggest that values are changing over time, the topic of value change and how to address it in the technical and institutional design of energy systems has not yet been systematically addressed.

Addressing value change is particularly important for the case of energy systems because these systems have large technological and institutional momentum, while they are often socially contested. The technological and institutional momentum implies that these systems are often hard to change; technical infrastructures are usually built for decades; and also institutional rules cannot be changed overnight. This makes it more difficult and costly to deal with value change.

At the same time, the socially contested character of many energy technologies makes it not only crucial to properly address values for the ethical acceptability and social acceptance of these systems, but makes it also likely that new values will emerge in public debates about energy technologies. So while value change may be endemic in energy systems, these systems at the same time have characteristics that make it harder to deal with such value change.

Researchers

Joost Alleblas, M.Sc.

PhD Candidate

Dr. Behnam Taebi

Associate Professor

mailto:[email protected]

https://www.tudelft.nl/en/tpm/about-the-faculty/departments/values-technology-and-innovation/people/associate-professors/drir-b-behnam-taebi/

Anna Melnyk, M.Sc.

PhD Candidate

[email protected]

https://www.tudelft.nl/en/tpm/about-the-faculty/departments/values-technology-and-innovation/people/phd-candidates/a-anna-melnyk/

Dr.ir. Tristan de Wildt

Postdoctoral researcher

[email protected]

https://www.tudelft.nl/en/tpm/about-the-faculty/departments/values-technology-and-innovation/people/postdocs/ir-te-tristan-de-wildt/

Related events

Workshop ‘Energy Systems and Changing Values’

Start date: October 15, 2020

End date: October 17, 2020

Location: Delft University of Technology

More info

Energy Systems | Project workshop

These three days brought together a wide range of scholars on values in relation to energy systems. In total, 17 proposals prepared by 31 scholars were selected based on an abstract for a paper connected to the workshop’s overall theme: Changing Values and Energy Systems.

Related Publications

2021

de Wildt, Tristan E; Boijmans, Anne R; Chappin, Emile J L; Herder, Paulien M

An ex ante assessment of value conflicts and social acceptance of sustainable heating systems: An agent-based modelling approach Journal Article

In: Energy Policy, 153 , 2021, ISSN: 0301-4215.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Melnyk, A; Singh, A

Constructing an inclusive vision of sustainable transition to decentralised energy: Local practices, knowledge, values and narratives in the case of community-managed grids in rural India Book Chapter

In: Kumar, Ankit; ö, Johanna H; Pols, Auke (Ed.): Dilemmas of Energy Transitions in the Global South, pp. 39–54, Routledge - Taylor & Francis Group, United Kingdom, 1st Edition, 2021, ISBN: 978-1-032-01546-0.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

@inbook{d356917ae11240a08f55a25466b4355f,

title = {Constructing an inclusive vision of sustainable transition to decentralised energy: Local practices, knowledge, values and narratives in the case of community-managed grids in rural India},

author = {A Melnyk and A Singh},

editor = {Ankit Kumar and Johanna H ö and Auke Pols},

doi = {10.4324/9780367486457-3},

isbn = {978-1-032-01546-0},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-01-01},

booktitle = {Dilemmas of Energy Transitions in the Global South},

pages = {39--54},

publisher = {Routledge - Taylor & Francis Group},

address = {United Kingdom},

edition = {1st Edition},

abstract = {This chapter claims that the global Northtextquoterights vision of sustainable energy transition (SET), which informs policies and infrastructure developments, holds a partial account of diverse energy-related practices and associated values that are endemic to local communities. Referring to the EU directive, this chapter points towards the implicit bias about the role of advanced technologies in SET. The vision of SET expressed in the EU directive has the interlocked relation with market designs, economic growth and underlying rational values that might result in a mismatch with needs, values and practices of local communities. This chapter presents empirical observations from an ethnographic field-research on community-managed solar mini-grids in rural India to hint at alternative possibilities and contribute to a more inclusive vision of SET. In particular, it demonstrates that practices of improvisation, redistribution of energy and adaptation of mini-grid informed by the villagerstextquoteright social, cultural and economic needs are entangled with local knowledge and values. By learning from the local practices, knowledge, values and narratives with energy technologies, this chapter proposes to take a step towards a “big picture” of the sustainable transition to decentralised energy.},

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2020

de Wildt, Tristan; Chappin, Emile; van de Kaa, Geerten; Herder, Paulien; van de Poel, Ibo

Conflicted by decarbonisation: Five types of conflict at the nexus of capabilities and decentralised energy systems identified with an agent-based model Journal Article

In: Energy Research & Social Science, 64 , pp. 101451, 2020, ISSN: 2214-6296.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

@article{RN3686,

title = {Conflicted by decarbonisation: Five types of conflict at the nexus of capabilities and decentralised energy systems identified with an agent-based model},

author = {Tristan de Wildt and Emile Chappin and Geerten van de Kaa and Paulien Herder and Ibo van de Poel},

url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214629620300281},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2020.101451},

issn = {2214-6296},

year  = {2020},

date = {2020-01-01},

journal = {Energy Research & Social Science},

volume = {64},

pages = {101451},

abstract = {This paper explores capability conflicts in the deployment of decentralised energy systems and identifies the affected population. These systems have positive societal impacts in terms of sustainability and consumer empowerment, but they are not accessible to all and their deployment may increase socio-economic inequalities. The societal impacts of decentralised energy systems can be understood in terms of conflicting capabilities; for some citizens capabilities may increase, whereas for others they may decrease. While problematic, capability conflicts may not be inherent. They may only occur in certain neighbourhoods, for example, where both affluent and less affluent populations coexist. By understanding why these capability conflicts occur, we may be able to anticipate whether these decentralised energy projects could result in societal problems. We use agent-based modelling and the scenario discovery technique to identify capability conflicts and the populations that may be affected. We distinguish five classes of conflicts, which can be used to anticipate social acceptance issues. Affected populations can be involved in the decision-making process to foster acceptance of decentralised energy systems. This work contributes to the growing political and scientific debate on issues of energy justice and inclusiveness related to the energy transition. Additionally, we contribute to the operationalisation of such capabilities, as this is one of the first papers to formalise the Capability Approach using an agent-based model.},

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pubstate = {published},

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