Integrating Methods and Empirical Findings from Social and Behavioural Sciences into Energy System Models—Motivation and Possible Approaches

Energies, vol. 13, pp. 4951

Abstract

The transformation of the energy system is a highly complex process involving many dimensions. Energy system models help to understand the process and to define either target systems or policy measures. Insights derived from the social sciences are not sufficiently represented in energy system models, but address crucial aspects of the transformation process. It is, therefore, necessary to develop approaches to integrate results from social science studies into energy system models. Hence, as a result of an interdisciplinary discourse among energy system modellers, social scientists, psychologists, economists and political scientists, this article explains which aspects should be considered in the models, how the respective results can be collected and which aspects of integration into energy system models are conceivable to provide an overview for other modellers. As a result of the discourse, five facets are examined: Investment behaviour (market acceptance), user behaviour, local acceptance, technology innovation and socio-political acceptance. Finally, an approach is presented that introduces a compound of energy system models (with a focus on the macro and micro-perspective) as well as submodels on technology genesis and socio-political acceptance, which serves to gain a more fundamental knowledge of the transformation process.

Authors 13

1. Charlotte Senkpiel corresponding

   Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems

   Affiliation as printed

   Fraunhofer Institute of Solar Energy Systems, 79110 Freiburg, Germany

2. Audrey Dobbins

   University of Stuttgart

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Energy Economics and Rational Energy Use, University of Stuttgart, 70174 Stuttgart, Germany

3. Christina Kockel Aachen Institute for Future Energy Consumer Needs and Behavior

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute for Future Energy Consumer Needs and Behavior (FCN), RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany

4. Jan Steinbach

   Institute for Resource Efficiency and Energy Strategies

   Affiliation as printed

   IREES—Institute for Resource Efficiency and Energy Strategies, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany

5. Ulrich Fahl

   University of Stuttgart

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Energy Economics and Rational Energy Use, University of Stuttgart, 70174 Stuttgart, Germany

6. Farina Wille

   Technische Universität Braunschweig

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Psychology, Division of Research Methods and Biopsychology, Technical University Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany

7. Joachim Globisch

   Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research

   Affiliation as printed

   Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research, 76139 Karlsruhe, Germany

8. Sandra Wassermann

   University of Stuttgart

   Affiliation as printed

   ZIRIUS—Center for Interdisciplinary Risk and Innovation Studies at the University of Stuttgart, 70174 Stuttgart, Germany

9. Bert Droste-Franke
   Affiliation as printed

   IQIB—Institute for Qualifying Innovation Research and Consulting, 53474 Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Germany

10. Wolfgang Hauser

    University of Stuttgart

    Affiliation as printed

    ZIRIUS—Center for Interdisciplinary Risk and Innovation Studies at the University of Stuttgart, 70174 Stuttgart, Germany

11. Claudia Hofer

    University of Stuttgart

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute of Energy Economics and Rational Energy Use, University of Stuttgart, 70174 Stuttgart, Germany

12. Lars Nolting Aachen Institute for Future Energy Consumer Needs and Behavior

    RWTH Aachen University

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute for Future Energy Consumer Needs and Behavior (FCN), RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany

13. Christiane Bernath

    Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research

    Affiliation as printed

    Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research, 76139 Karlsruhe, Germany