EU energy policy: A socio-energy perspective for an inclusive energy transition

Abstract

This chapter presents the evolution of EU energy policy, examining how concepts of inclusiveness and justice in energy have been progressively included in relevant energy policy documents. It discusses how EU energy policy has evolved to acknowledge the importance of the individual as well as the collective dimension of energy for an inclusive green transition. Recognizing the challenges linked to the translation of these concepts into concrete actions, the chapter elaborates a socio-energy system approach that can help in making visible important aspects of the energy transition that would go unrecognized in other analytical approaches that focus mainly on the technological side. There is an increasing awareness that the European Green Deal and other political initiatives for a sustainable future require not only technological change but also careful attention to the social implications of the transition. The chapter applies the proposed approach to smart metering technologies, discussing how the technology-centric view of the energy system is framed around the average consumer or early-adopter, leaving vulnerable groups and those living in energy poverty underrepresented. A socio-energy approach also challenges the predominant use of purely quantitative results such as energy or cost savings to evaluate the successfulness of initiatives tackling inclusiveness and fairness (e.g. energy poverty). Social outcomes of energy policy choices and technology arrangements need to be better investigated and accompanied by innovative ways to measure their success. The proposed socio-energy approach offers a way of including wider societal implications of the energy transition in the design of energy policies and in their implementation.