Role of energy behaviour in the low-carbon transition

The need to transform energy supply and energy demand are closely related: since the production of electricity from renewable resources varies with season, time of day and weather, there is a need both to increase energy efficiency and enable flexible consumption, also to avoid large investments in expanding infrastructure. Based in different social scientific and techno-economic disciplines the BEHAVIOUR project probes the dynamics of energy choices. BEHAVIOUR does this by linking complementary research traditions. Selected good practice case studies are used to study the organizational, institutional and practical aspects of changing energy choices. The first case study is focusing on retrofitting of buildings in two geographical areas of Trondheim. A survey based on panel data will generate quantitative data on energy choices are planned and will be performed in 2022. Modelling exercises are using these socio scientific insights, to help us understand the systemic implications of the actions we study. BEHAVOUR develops Agent Based Models, to provide insights on how private households make decisions under different conditions. This knowledge and insight are used to quantify different development pathways for different types of energy choices. Further, these insights will be used to build scenarios on the development of the Norwegian energy system towards 2050 under different conditions, and energy system models to assess systemic impacts of these pathways. BEHAVIOUR combines disciplinary knowledge development with interdisciplinary methodological development, in close collaboration also with user partners from industry and the public sector (Enova, Equinor and NVE). In 2021 the project arranged an international researcher workshop with the three international research partners VTT (Finland), BUILD (Denmark) and Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (Netherlands). We have also arranged a workshop with the national user partners where we presented status of the research, discussed the first case study on retrofitting, and we discussed ideas for new case studies. The BEHAVIOUR project is coordinated by IFE, and the national research partners are NTNU and SINTEF.

Consumer-behaviour has significant impact on the transition to a low-carbon energy system. Implementation of energy efficiency measures, flexible consumption and adoption of new technology in private households can contribute to lower the need for new energy infrastructure, reduce GHG emissions, lowering the cost of the energy transition and minimize nature interventions. Today, energy consumer behaviour tends to be studied by three disconnected research traditions; from a techno-economic modelling perspective, from an Agent Based Modelling perspective and from the socio-technically oriented analysis of behaviour. The proposed project, BEHAVIOUR, brings these complementary perspectives together, to study the energy behaviour of Norwegian private households. We address the role of individual and socially structured human behaviour, and will bridge empirical observations with a modelling framework capturing human energy choices in interaction with the energy system. We will evaluate various instruments that can narrow the gap between consumer implementation of energy efficiency, flexible energy use and new technology, and their techno-economic potentials respectively. Further, their corresponding value and impact on the energy system will be addressed and quantified. To reach this ambitious goal, the project draws on a novel combination of disciplines; psychology, science and technology studies, agent-based modelling, and energy system analysis. BEHAVIOUR will answer the project objectives by interdisciplinary research, addressing the role of human behaviour and society perspectives. The knowledge created will be transformed into an agent-based model to simulate the actions and interaction of individual and collective entities, that will thereafter be linked to an existing model of the Norwegian energy system.