Socio-temporal dynamics and spatial scales for future home energy transitions and crisis planning - UK insights

Planning for future equitable home energy transitions and electrification is dependent on multidimensional technical, social, temporal, and spatial insights. Despite growing calls to integrate social, spatial, and temporal insights, most studies have either overlooked these dimensions or examined them mostly from the perspective of social acceptance. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the role of social identities in shaping collective energy behaviours and temporal rhythms in the home and the consequences this may have on future electrification, flexible demand, energy transition and crisis planning. This research work draws on mixed methods using diverse data including surveys, photos, and interviews with residents in Glasgow and Bristol, UK. The research reveals that social identities shape energy use temporal rhythms – either in regular or irregular patterns over time. These socio-temporal rhythms have diverse consequences for demand flexibility and crisis planning to provide a responsive and dynamic evidence-based approach. This work offers a novel socio-temporal and spatial approach that could be used by local government, the housing sector, and energy providers in planning targeted collective responses to anticipated frequent energy crises and peak load events. There are also benefits to academics in offering a new conceptual lens by combining social practice, identity, and rhythm analysis for the study of energy transitions and crisis phenomena.