The causal nexus of energy demand

Inspired by nexus causality, moral warfare and misattribution arbitrage (by John Tooby, and published the Edge in This will make you smarter - new scientific concepts to improve your thinking) I have been doing a little light thinking (on holiday whilst enjoying a renewable powered yoga retreat in Scotland - Ecoyoga - hence the pen and paper sketch) on the nexus of factors (i.e. causes) that result in energy demand. A very outline of my initial thinking is pictured below, and I believe it may be worth exploring further when back in the office - particularly identifying factors that are often overlooked and seeking to understand the role of ICT in potentially reducing the contribution of these factors to energy demand.

Why focus on energy demand informatics?

Having reflected a little on why I find this domain interesting and why I started documenting my thinking on demand informatics (on this blog), I came up with the following (which I expect to evolve too).  I believe that enabling energy consumers to reduce their demand is critical to developing a sustainable, secure and affordable energy system. By creating such an energy system we can establish an underpinning component of the infrastructure (physical and social) that enables wellbeing for 21st Century citizens. My perspective on the link between of consumption and wellbeing is that, within developed countries, consumption growth is no longer delivering improvements in wellbeing (and that is may well be delivering reductions in wellbeing). So for me the impact of energy demand reduction is potential two-fold:
•    first, by simplifying and reducing the scale of the energy supply system require to meet demand;
•    and secondly, by proving an example of how the perceived link between consumption-growth and wellbeing across society can be broken.

On a more pragmatic and personal level my interest in bridging the ICT-behaviour-energy interface stems from my desire to integrate two aspects of my professional experience and expertise.
•    First, my PhD and professional experience in the field of environmental informatics - where I have brought a socio-technical perspective to the design of ICT systems to manage data, information and knowledge.
•    Secondly, my research and research facilitation expertise in energy research (that spans physical and social sciences) developed in my current role in the Centre for Integrated Energy Research.


Also in terms of alignment with policy, energy demand informatics can help the UK meet the legally binding commitments to reduce GHG emissions by at least 80% by 2050, e.g. DECC envisions a dramatic reduction in energy demand (possibly 40% or more against 2005 levels) during the period 2030-50 (DECC Low Carbon Transition Plan, 2009). With a smart (ICT enhanced) energy system is at the heart of the vision for achieving reduction in demand of this magnitude (DECC Smarter Grids: The Opportunity, 2010) by influencing energy consumption behaviour (e.g. by providing greater choice and control over energy consumption).

For further details of professional experience and current projects see http://www.cier.leeds.ac.uk/people/energy/staff/c.a.martin. It is particular thanks to my involvement in the Land of the MUSCOs project, focussed on the potential of integrated infrastructure provision to reduce utility/service demand, that has stimulated my interest in energy demand informatics.