Flexibility poverty: ‘locked-in’ flexibility practices and electricity use among students

ABSTRACT

The article provides a widened understanding of the concept of end-user flexibility and nuances the traditional individual-oriented approach often used in discussions on low carbon transitions. The authors draw on 75 narratives from of a group of end users that is often considered to be in a very flexible stage of life, namely students. They discuss the co-production of systems connected to material, structural and social factors that extend beyond individual willingness to be a flexible energy consumer. The article stresses that flexibility is shaped by living conditions, everyday life and social norms in particular ways that makes it hard to achieve for students and others living in shared households. The authors conclude that political incentives for low-carbon transitions typically exclude social groups such as students and other vulnerable groups in society, and hence may unintentionally create and reinforce what they term ‘flexibility poverty’.

KEYWORDS:

• End-user flexibility
• energy consumption
• ‘flexibility poverty’
• low-carbon transitions
• shared households
• students

Additional information

Funding

The authors greatfully acknowledge the funding from Centre for Intelligent Electricity Distribution (FME CINELDI), funded by the Norwegian Research Council (grant number 257626), and the Norwegian Centre for Energy Transition Strategies (FME NTRANS), also funded by the Norwegian Research Council (grant number 296205). Our gratitude also goes to the anonymous reviewers and the editorial team of Energy Sources, Part B: Economics, Planning, and Policy.