Squaring the energy circle: reducing demand and improving well-being Presentation at the Post-Growth 2018 Conference, 19 September 2018, European Parliament, Brussels
GrĂŠgoire Wallenborn UniversitĂŠ Libre de Bruxelles
“If we don't do the impossible, we shall be faced with the unthinkable!” Murray Bookchin The Ecology of Freedom, 1982
There has never been an energy transition
Energy and GDP
Source: Jancovici
Internet traffic
Machines: 13 TW Geothermal flow: 40 TW* Biosphere production: 130 TW*
Air traffic *1TW = 1000 GW
The great accelaration: accumulation of stuf
CO2 Emissions Source : IPCC, WG III, 2014
Global Renewable Power Capacity
Load factors in Belgium Wind: 25-40% Solar PV: 10-15%
Renewable Energy in Total Final Energy Consumption
Absolute decoupling?
Energy efficiency? • Energy efficiency: presented as THE solution (with renewables) result activity output efficiency = = = = productivity means used× resource input • Efficiency as an end = productivity rebound efects are systemic • When is energy is saved: where it will be used? • Rebounds: improving energy efficiency increases the number of activities • Rebounds are accelerated when infrastructures and markets can redistribute quickly energy
Questioning energy demand • Acceleration of life rhythms (Rosa 2013) • Machines and appliances: save time? Multitasking! energy efficiency translated into temporal efficiency: maximisation of the number of activities and of power • Social practices are in competition to find their slot
Society and energy • Two common points of view: – Societal evolution depends upon energy expense – Energy systems are socially constructed
• But: What is energy for? (Shove & Walker 2014) Energy sources
Electricity generation
Conversion devices Diesel engine
Oil
Petrol engine Aircraft engine Other engine Electric motor
10.7
Biomass
Oil burner Biomass burner
Gas 5.3
Gas burner Coal burner
Coal 11.0
Electricity
Nuclear Renewable
Heat
Electric heater Heat exchanger Cooler Light device Electronic
Passive systems
Final services
Car
Passenger transport
Truck Plane Ship Train
Freight transport
Driven system Furnace Steam system Hot water system
Steel Chemical Mineral Paper Food Aluminium
Structure
Sustenance
Other Hygiene
Heated/cooled space Thermal comfort Appliance Illuminated space
C o m m u n ic a t io n Illumination
Social practice theory
Material objects
Images Meaning
• Axiom: there are only practices constituted of heterogeneous elements • Individuals are recruited by practices • Importance of social norms (comfort, hygiene, convenience,…)
Skills Procedures Shove et al. 2012
Cf. http://demand.ac.uk/
Behaviour oriented
Practice oriented
Why don’t people turn the heating/cooling down at night?
How do concepts of comfort come to be as they are?
Why don’t they install more efficient technologies?
How are systems of practice sustained?
Why don’t they install more insulation?
How might these be reconfigured?
Promote efficiency and ‘retain current standards’
Intervention in the reproduction of everyday practice (18-28 degrees C, rather than 22)
Investigation: questionnaire to individuals
Investigation: materialities, history,…
Scale of impact: inherently limited
Scale of impact: potentially massive
From Shove (2010)
Competition and cooperation • Mainstream “solutions”: based on market and technology (= competition) • Darwin, completed by Kropotkine: – When resources are abundant, individuals can compete without harm for the species (but not for the other individuals, and this is costly). – When resources are scarce, species cooperate
• Both competition and cooperation are part of living processes, but cooperation operate at a higher level (species > individuals)
Conclusion • Reducing energy demand: how should practices cooperate? • Insert practices within ecosystems Activities should be adapted to available energy (and not the other way round) Requires a whole new social organisation, based on cooperation Determine collectively social and ecological activities