| 1. |
- Björner Brauer, Hanna, et al.
(författare)
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Re-configuring practices in times of energy crisis : A case study of Swedish households
- 2024
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Ingår i: Energy Research & Social Science. - : Elsevier Ltd. - 2214-6296 .- 2214-6326. ; 114, s. 103578-103578
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- During the autumn, winter and early spring of 2022/2023, Europe faced rapidly increasing energy prices and threats of power cuts. The situation was consequently labelled an “energy crisis”, and one sector that was severely affected was households. In response to the situation, European households made efforts to reduce and time-shift their energy use to mitigate the effects of the crisis. Considering that domestic energy practices are often difficult to change, particularly in the long term, we find this effect of the energy crisis on households important to understand more deeply. In this paper, we use social practice theory to investigate how Swedish households responded to the crisis and what changes they made in terms of re-configurations of their practices. The aim was to contribute knowledge on how households adapt to a changing energy system with volatile prices, limitations in electric power, and threats of energy crisis. We conducted two rounds of semi-structured interviews with 9 households in single-family houses in the middle and south of Sweden during and after the crisis, in total 18 interviews, to examine what re-configurations of practices emerged and which persisted over time. The results show that significant changes were apparent in primarily the practice domains of heating and hygiene. While some of these changes were temporary, other re-configurations of energy practices persisted beyond the months of crisis and high prices, indicating that meanings of frugality and sufficiency were strengthened. Our results demonstrate that households were reminded of certain electricity use that is otherwise typically backgrounded in homes and that the energy crisis stimulated re-configuration and re-examination of norms as well as reflection on electricity use in general. Finally, we discuss the effects of the energy crisis on household practices in comparison with other crises and disruptions, and point to the importance of communicating clearly with households about the societal effects of their efforts, in order to manage the legacy of this crisis for similar future crisis situations.
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| 2. |
- Boonstra, Wiebren Johannes, Dr. 1976-, et al.
(författare)
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Theorising resistance in times of fossil fuels : Ecological grief, righteous anger and interaction rituals in Sweden's energy regime shift
- 2024
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Ingår i: Energy Research & Social Science. - : Elsevier. - 2214-6296 .- 2214-6326. ; 116
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The emerging shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy engages a broad spectrum of society. Through protests, social media campaigns and civil unrest, different groups seek to impact the speed, direction and distributional effects of this transformation. In this paper, we develop a conceptualisation of how such resistance is socially mobilised. We ask how people come to resort to open resistance in the context of energy regime dynamics. The growing literature on the topic highlights that declining material and social capital are not enough to understand resistance in times of fossil fuels. We suggest in this study that attention to a wider spectrum of emotions is crucial for understanding the political and ethical contestations through which changes in energy provision materialize. We draw upon sociological theory, in particular the notion of interaction rituals, to understand the social and affective process of resistance. The concept of interaction rituals captures the movement from feeling aggrieved to mobilisation of resistance through attention to the sharing and transformation of emotions. We apply our theorisation in two Swedish examples of contemporary resistance - the Forest Rebellion and the Petrol Protest - to illustrate the grievances that underpin these movements, and how interaction rituals mobilise and justify resistance. We end the paper with a discussion and comparison of the two examples, and the implications of our findings for (academic) knowledge about the role of resistance in relation to energy regimes.
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| 3. |
- Brauer, Hanna Björner, et al.
(författare)
-
Re-configuring practices in times of energy crisis – A case study of Swedish households
- 2024
-
Ingår i: Energy Research & Social Science. - : Elsevier Ltd. - 2214-6296 .- 2214-6326. ; 114
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- During the autumn, winter and early spring of 2022/2023, Europe faced rapidly increasing energy prices and threats of power cuts. The situation was consequently labelled an “energy crisis”, and one sector that was severely affected was households. In response to the situation, European households made efforts to reduce and time-shift their energy use to mitigate the effects of the crisis. Considering that domestic energy practices are often difficult to change, particularly in the long term, we find this effect of the energy crisis on households important to understand more deeply. In this paper, we use social practice theory to investigate how Swedish households responded to the crisis and what changes they made in terms of re-configurations of their practices. The aim was to contribute knowledge on how households adapt to a changing energy system with volatile prices, limitations in electric power, and threats of energy crisis. We conducted two rounds of semi-structured interviews with 9 households in single-family houses in the middle and south of Sweden during and after the crisis, in total 18 interviews, to examine what re-configurations of practices emerged and which persisted over time. The results show that significant changes were apparent in primarily the practice domains of heating and hygiene. While some of these changes were temporary, other re-configurations of energy practices persisted beyond the months of crisis and high prices, indicating that meanings of frugality and sufficiency were strengthened. Our results demonstrate that households were reminded of certain electricity use that is otherwise typically backgrounded in homes and that the energy crisis stimulated re-configuration and re-examination of norms as well as reflection on electricity use in general. Finally, we discuss the effects of the energy crisis on household practices in comparison with other crises and disruptions, and point to the importance of communicating clearly with households about the societal effects of their efforts, in order to manage the legacy of this crisis for similar future crisis situations.
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| 4. |
- Brännlund, Anton, et al.
(författare)
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Jolts at the ballot box : Electricity prices and voting in Swedish manufacturing communities
- 2024
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Ingår i: Energy Research & Social Science. - : Elsevier. - 2214-6296 .- 2214-6326. ; 110
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This research examines the overlooked political implications of energy pricing on voting patterns in manufacturing communities, amidst increasing scholarly interest in the political ramifications of Western industrial decline. We focus specifically on the surge in electricity prices and their effect on electoral choices in manufacturing -dense regions in Sweden during the 2022 general elections. The rise in electricity costs holds particular significance given Europe's reliance on imported energy for competitive manufacturing, coupled with the existing constraints on energy supply. With energy prices being a direct threat to industries and influencing the competitiveness of manufacturing firms and job security, we argue that these factors could significantly influence voting behaviour in affected communities. Our findings show that areas with higher electricity costs witnessed a more robust performance by the incumbent Social Democratic Party, suggesting that economic insecurity may indeed spur greater demand for traditional left-wing policies, such as economic compensation.
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| 5. |
- Davidovic, Dragana
(författare)
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Does corruption shape attitudes towards carbon taxes? Experimental evidence from Mexico and Sweden
- 2024
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Ingår i: ENERGY RESEARCH & SOCIAL SCIENCE. - 2214-6296 .- 2214-6326. ; 112
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Economists and policy experts have long argued for the implementation of carbon taxes as the most cost-efficient way to decrease carbon emissions and enhance climate change mitigation. Public support for such taxes is generally lacking, however, compromising their political feasibility. While a range of determinants of climate policy attitudes have been studied, the role of institutional context, and specifically corruption in explaining public aversion towards climate taxes has been largely unexplored. This paper investigates the links between corruption perceptions, trust, and attitudes towards climate taxes in a survey experiment fielded in Sweden and Mexico. Using randomized vignettes to stimulate high -corrupt and low -corrupt perceptions among about 3000 respondents from each country, the analyses evaluate the effect of corruption on trust and attitudes towards climate taxes and explore potential individual -level mechanisms at play using post -treatment questions. The study shows that increased corruption perceptions generate negative attitudes towards climate taxes, even among those who hold pro -environmental value orientations and concerns and political value orientations in favor of state regulation. Mediation analyses suggest that decreased levels of political and institutional trust may explain this effect, but that negative policy -specific beliefs also may play a mediating role. The study contributes to an increased understanding of the negative effect of corruption on climate policy attitudes in diverse institutional settings and outlines avenues for future research.
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| 6. |
- Ertelt, Sophie-Marie, 1993-
(författare)
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Beyond predict and provide : Embracing sufficiency synergies in road freight electrification across the European Union
- 2024
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Ingår i: Energy Research & Social Science. - : Elsevier. - 2214-6296 .- 2214-6326. ; 111
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The challenge of aligning with the net-zero ambitions of the European Union necessitates a critical examination of the road freight transport sector, a pivotal contributor to global commerce and greenhouse gas emissions. Despite the sector's potential for electrification to mitigate emissions, the prevailing 'predict and provide' planning approach may inadvertently reduce this low-carbon transition to mere technological substitution, neglecting deeper intrinsic transport issues. This perspective critiques the 'predict and provide' approach and advocates for the adoption of 'sufficiency-oriented planning'. It presents a comprehensive, interconnected approach, challenging not only the technology in use but also the foundational principles of transport demand. Furthermore, it explores the broader implications of this multi-system transition for the energy sector. The perspective consequently underscores the necessity of a paradigm shift in planning for road freight transport electrification for the sector to genuinely contribute to sustainability objectives and not risk diminishing the transformative potential of this transition.
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| 7. |
- Farhangi, Mohsen, 1989-, et al.
(författare)
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More than wires and screens: Assumptions about agency of devices in smart energy projects
- 2024
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Ingår i: Energy Research & Social Science. - : ELSEVIER. - 2214-6296 .- 2214-6326. ; 114
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Developing a low-carbon energy system requires far-reaching societal transformations, not least in energy-related practices and behaviour. Smart energy grids have recently gained attention among national governments as a potential solution for low-carbon energy transitions at the household level as they are assumed to empower energy consumers and make them an active part of a more balanced and sustainable energy system. The aim of this paper is to investigate the ways in which managers of such project interventions understand the sources of agency leading to a more sustainable energy use and whether these changes are rather driven by the design of devices or incentives, or by the broader socio-political context of user agency. These investigations are enriched by a comprehensive review of social science literature on smart energy grids. Interviews with technology and project developers of four smart energy grid projects in Sweden (READY, InteGrid, InterFlex, and FLEXICIENCY), and reviews of developer's reports and presentations were done to investigate how technology and project developers try to use devices as intermediaries to increase household participation in smart energy grid projects and change their energy-consuming practices. The result showed that developers primarily focus on the functionality of their devices and user interfaces. However, it also highlights that they often overlook the integration of these technologies within the broader socio-cultural and political contexts that critically influence technology adoption.
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Kuchler, Magdalena, et al.
(författare)
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Unravelling the ‘collective’ in sociotechnical imaginaries: A literature review
- 2024
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Ingår i: Energy Research & Social Science. - 2214-6296 .- 2214-6326. ; 110, s. 103422-103422
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The concept of sociotechnical imaginaries (STI) has been increasingly implemented in social science energy research to examine collectively held visions of desirable energy futures. In this paper, we attempt to make sense of the notion of a ‘collective’ central to the STI approach. We do so by performing a literature review of 69 peer-reviewed empirical articles that specifically delve into STIs concerning energy systems and transitions. We ask how ‘collective’ or ‘collectively held imaginary’ is defined and mobilised in these studies and what methods and empirical material scholars employ to access it analytically. Our literature review reveals a predominant emphasis on national collectives, frequently serving as the primary lens for analysis, with studies also exploring the interplay between national and local/regional STIs. Beyond the nation-state, we find instances of research delving into local/regional collectives and internationally or transnationally held STIs. Moreover, we illustrate how the choice of a specific ‘collective’ entry point influences methodological choices. Drawing from our literature review, we call for a more critical and comprehensive engagement with the notion of a ‘collective’ to elucidate how and why specific STIs gain prominence and power or lose acceptance and are marginalised within various collectives, especially in the context of low-carbon energy transitions. We further urge STI scholars to focus on diverse collectives that contribute to a sense of belonging beyond the confines of scale and place, such as class, gender, race, or ethnicity. Additionally, we emphasise the role of individuals, including those less socially prominent, in (re)shaping energy imaginaries.
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| 10. |
- Kuu-Park, Goeun, et al.
(författare)
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Materiality in community energy innovation : a systematic literature review of hands-on material engagement in energy transition
- 2024
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Ingår i: Energy Research & Social Science. - : Elsevier. - 2214-6296 .- 2214-6326. ; 114
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Collective and citizen-driven activities for energy transition have been thriving globally in recent decades. Community energy innovation (CEI) developed through hands-on engagement with materials has garnered increasing attention from the interdisciplinary energy research community. The recent scholarly discussion has highlighted the role of materiality and its relation to collective agency, inclusion, and approaches to partici- pation. Accordingly, paying attention to materiality in CEI can clarify sociotechnical aspects of energy innovation which have been commonly understood through either solely a social or technical view. Furthermore, fostering citizens' take-up of renewable energy in more democratic ways is a prerequisite for accelerating the energy transition and is arguably best done via material, hands-on engagement. However, the focus on materiality, particularly hands-on material engagement, in research on community energy appears to be fragmented. Therefore, we conducted a systematic literature review to better understand how researchers understand and approach materiality and material engagement in CEI. The results of analyzing 36 papers highlight that mate- riality in CEI has been studied in interdisciplinary fields through diverse methods, and we identify four types of networks in which such innovation emerges. We also identify geographically dispersed and Do-It-Yourself enthusiast-led energy innovations which go beyond the existing understanding of CEI. More importantly, a network may change over time and place because of the configurational material nature of decentralized small- scale renewable energy technologies. However, studying materially-engaged CEI needs further efforts to inte- grate empirical data more centrally with the existing knowledge base and concretely define how materiality plays out in collective energy innovation.
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