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Mark Andor and Stephan Sommer
The evolution of energy systems and the development of new energy technologies requires individuals and communities to make a variety of energy-related decisions every day, as household members, members of society, and citizens of the world. These decisions, in turn, influence the design of energy systems and affect all areas of life that are directly or indirectly related to energy production or use, such as use of energy at home (heating, cooling, cooking), transportation, public systems (healthcare, education), industry, etc.
As individuals, we make energy-related decisions mainly connected to our personal everyday lives, for example choosing to use a device, or less frequent activities, such as choosing an electricity provider or buying a new refrigerator.
The decisions we make as local communities and societies have a larger and more visible impact, affecting energy demand and supply, but also resulting in new forms of energy production, storage, and consumption, through collective organisation and effort.
Energy-related decisions are also made in political environments. These kinds of decisions encompass regulations, policies, and incentives but also the development of strategies to connect with other countries. In a nutshell, all these decisions have a bearing on energy production and consumption.
Matters are complicated by the fact that all these decisions are intertwined, one affecting and influencing the other, from national and international regulations affecting households and individuals to citizens’ movements and local engagement affecting larger national and international systems. The growth of the bottom-up principle, also including energy communities, is well presented in the adaptation of EU regulations and policies to build a more citizen-led energy system.
Our society and energy dilemmas
As a society, we face several energy-related challenges and dilemmas that have a severe impact on the quality of our lives and existence, our economy, and the environment we live in.
How much effort and resources are we willing to invest into alternative energy sources? Can sufficient energy be distributed fairly, safely, and economically to all parts of the country? The answers to all these questions are dependent on the decisions we make about energy, which are dependent on the local economy, and political environment.
Energy decisions in households and communities
A household’s energy decisions usually concern three main categories that differ in the financial resources they require – energy saving, energy efficiency, and energy production. The first category includes mostly behavior, anything from turning off the lights when leaving a room, cycling instead of driving a car, shortening the lengths of our showers, and lowering the thermostat for a degree or two. The second category comprises activities that minimize our use of energy for achieving specific energy services, like heating our homes, or cooling ou