Title
Push-Pull Energy Futures: Using Design to Discuss Agency in Distributed Energy Systems
Abstract
Distributed energy resources are expected to radically change the way energy is produced and distributed through decentralised generation and storage. Current distributed energy models tend to hide the complexity of these systems in order to improve ease of use, while restricting people's participation to predefined roles of passive users who can benefit from more reliable infrastructures, more competitive prices, and more access to sustainable energy. In this paper, we question these roles and present the Karma Kettle, an open-ended device that aims to explore perceptions of different levels of agency in distributed energy resources. A study of the Karma Kettle with 20 residents of a block of flats in the UK reveals strategies and values of these residents, the effectiveness of the Karma Kettle to inspire discussion on levels of agency, and how these systems could be designed to promote more participatory approaches in distributed energy systems.
Year
DOI
Venue
2020
10.1145/3357236.3395551
DIS '20: Designing Interactive Systems Conference 2020 Eindhoven Netherlands July, 2020
DocType
ISBN
Citations 
Conference
978-1-4503-6974-9
0
PageRank 
References 
Authors
0.34
0
6
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Larissa Pschetz122.39
Luis Lourenço Soares211.04
Billy Dixon301.01
Esteban Serrano400.34
Ella Tallyn581.88
Joe Revans600.68