Integrating Methods and Empirical Findings from Social and Behavioural Sciences into Energy System Models—Motivation and Possible Approaches

Charlotte Senkpiel, Audrey Dobbins, Christina Kockel, Jan Steinbach, Ulrich Fahl, Farina Wille, Joachim Globisch, Sandra Wassermann, Bert Droste-Franke, Wolfgang Hauser, Claudia Hofer, Lars Nolting and Christiane Bernath
Additional contact information
Charlotte Senkpiel: Fraunhofer Institute of Solar Energy Systems, 79110 Freiburg, Germany
Audrey Dobbins: Institute of Energy Economics and Rational Energy Use, University of Stuttgart, 70174 Stuttgart, Germany
Christina Kockel: Institute for Future Energy Consumer Needs and Behavior (FCN), RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Jan Steinbach: IREES—Institute for Resource Efficiency and Energy Strategies, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
Ulrich Fahl: Institute of Energy Economics and Rational Energy Use, University of Stuttgart, 70174 Stuttgart, Germany
Farina Wille: Institute of Psychology, Division of Research Methods and Biopsychology, Technical University Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
Joachim Globisch: Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research, 76139 Karlsruhe, Germany
Sandra Wassermann: ZIRIUS—Center for Interdisciplinary Risk and Innovation Studies at the University of Stuttgart, 70174 Stuttgart, Germany
Bert Droste-Franke: IQIB—Institute for Qualifying Innovation Research and Consulting, 53474 Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Germany
Wolfgang Hauser: ZIRIUS—Center for Interdisciplinary Risk and Innovation Studies at the University of Stuttgart, 70174 Stuttgart, Germany
Claudia Hofer: Institute of Energy Economics and Rational Energy Use, University of Stuttgart, 70174 Stuttgart, Germany
Lars Nolting: Institute for Future Energy Consumer Needs and Behavior (FCN), RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Christiane Bernath: Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research, 76139 Karlsruhe, Germany

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 18, 1-30

Abstract: The transformation of the energy system is a highly complex process involving many dimensions. Energy system models help to understand the process and to define either target systems or policy measures. Insights derived from the social sciences are not sufficiently represented in energy system models, but address crucial aspects of the transformation process. It is, therefore, necessary to develop approaches to integrate results from social science studies into energy system models. Hence, as a result of an interdisciplinary discourse among energy system modellers, social scientists, psychologists, economists and political scientists, this article explains which aspects should be considered in the models, how the respective results can be collected and which aspects of integration into energy system models are conceivable to provide an overview for other modellers. As a result of the discourse, five facets are examined: Investment behaviour (market acceptance), user behaviour, local acceptance, technology innovation and socio-political acceptance. Finally, an approach is presented that introduces a compound of energy system models (with a focus on the macro and micro-perspective) as well as submodels on technology genesis and socio-political acceptance, which serves to gain a more fundamental knowledge of the transformation process.

Keywords: energy system modelling; social science; system optimisation; energy transition; investment behaviour; local acceptance; socio-political acceptance; technology genesis; user behaviour (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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