Impacts of digitalization and societal changes on energy transition: a novel socio-techno-economic energy system model
The increased diffusion of information and communication technologies (ICTs) impacts daily life and economic growth. It introduces new social practices for households and business models for companies that influence society and energy infrastructure development. A framework capable of quantifying an...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Energy Strategy Reviews |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211467X23001748 |
| _version_ | 1797435819384897536 |
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| author | L. Stermieri T. Kober R. McKenna T.J. Schmidt E. Panos |
| author_facet | L. Stermieri T. Kober R. McKenna T.J. Schmidt E. Panos |
| author_sort | L. Stermieri |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The increased diffusion of information and communication technologies (ICTs) impacts daily life and economic growth. It introduces new social practices for households and business models for companies that influence society and energy infrastructure development. A framework capable of quantifying and analyzing the impact of digitalization on achieving energy and climate targets, with a focus on behavioral changes induced by ICT, is currently lacking. In this paper, a new framework is developed that is technology-rich and captures the preferences and behaviors of households and firms in the energy system to assess sustainable energy system configurations that are technically and socially feasible. The framework is designed and demonstrated for Switzerland. We find, for example, that teleworking in Switzerland reduces commuting demand by 10%, and the savings in transport expenses can favor the investment in efficient and clean residential technologies to compensate for the increased residential energy demand due to working at home. This manuscript contributes to the growing literature of suitable frameworks and case studies to account for the co-evolution of society and energy systems in achieving the transition to low-carbon economies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:53:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c3e3cc4264c04f1f99c858f0978835f2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2211-467X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:53:40Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energy Strategy Reviews |
| spelling | doaj.art-c3e3cc4264c04f1f99c858f0978835f22023-12-01T05:01:33ZengElsevierEnergy Strategy Reviews2211-467X2023-11-0150101224Impacts of digitalization and societal changes on energy transition: a novel socio-techno-economic energy system modelL. Stermieri0T. Kober1R. McKenna2T.J. Schmidt3E. Panos4Paul Scherrer Institute, Laboratory for Energy Systems Analysis, Energy Economics Group, Forschungsstrasse 111, 5232, Villigen PSI, SwitzerlandPaul Scherrer Institute, Laboratory for Energy Systems Analysis, Energy Economics Group, Forschungsstrasse 111, 5232, Villigen PSI, SwitzerlandPaul Scherrer Institute, Laboratory for Energy Systems Analysis, Forschungsstrasse 111, 5232, Villigen PSI, Switzerland; ETH Zurich, Chair of Energy Systems Analysis, Institute of Energy and Process Engineering, Dep. of Mechanical and Process Eng., Clausiusstrasse 33, 8092, Zurich, SwitzerlandPaul Scherrer Institute, Research Division Energy & Environment, Forschungsstrasse 111, 5232, Villigen PSI, Switzerland; ETH Zurich, Institute for Molecular Physical Sciences, Dep. of of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10, 8093, Zurich, SwitzerlandPaul Scherrer Institute, Laboratory for Energy Systems Analysis, Energy Economics Group, Forschungsstrasse 111, 5232, Villigen PSI, Switzerland; Corresponding author.The increased diffusion of information and communication technologies (ICTs) impacts daily life and economic growth. It introduces new social practices for households and business models for companies that influence society and energy infrastructure development. A framework capable of quantifying and analyzing the impact of digitalization on achieving energy and climate targets, with a focus on behavioral changes induced by ICT, is currently lacking. In this paper, a new framework is developed that is technology-rich and captures the preferences and behaviors of households and firms in the energy system to assess sustainable energy system configurations that are technically and socially feasible. The framework is designed and demonstrated for Switzerland. We find, for example, that teleworking in Switzerland reduces commuting demand by 10%, and the savings in transport expenses can favor the investment in efficient and clean residential technologies to compensate for the increased residential energy demand due to working at home. This manuscript contributes to the growing literature of suitable frameworks and case studies to account for the co-evolution of society and energy systems in achieving the transition to low-carbon economies.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211467X23001748ICTConsumer behaviorSocial practiceEnergy system analysisAgent-based modelingClimate target |
| spellingShingle | L. Stermieri T. Kober R. McKenna T.J. Schmidt E. Panos Impacts of digitalization and societal changes on energy transition: a novel socio-techno-economic energy system model Energy Strategy Reviews ICT Consumer behavior Social practice Energy system analysis Agent-based modeling Climate target |
| title | Impacts of digitalization and societal changes on energy transition: a novel socio-techno-economic energy system model |
| title_full | Impacts of digitalization and societal changes on energy transition: a novel socio-techno-economic energy system model |
| title_fullStr | Impacts of digitalization and societal changes on energy transition: a novel socio-techno-economic energy system model |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impacts of digitalization and societal changes on energy transition: a novel socio-techno-economic energy system model |
| title_short | Impacts of digitalization and societal changes on energy transition: a novel socio-techno-economic energy system model |
| title_sort | impacts of digitalization and societal changes on energy transition a novel socio techno economic energy system model |
| topic | ICT Consumer behavior Social practice Energy system analysis Agent-based modeling Climate target |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211467X23001748 |
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