How private households decide on their energy mix (Seco@home)

Duration: 01.03.2008 - 31.08.2010

Social, Environmental and Economical Dimensions of Sustainable Energy Consumption in Residential Buildings (Seco@home)

Background
Due to the damage to the environment - particularly in the form of climate-relevant emissions - that is attendant on energy from non-renewable sources, high consumption of this type of poses a major threat to reaching the goal of sustainable development.
The discussion on sustainable products offered by private energy providers and used by private consumers has revolved for some time now around the development of household appliances and heating systems that are more energy-efficient, the installation of thermal insulation in buildings and the introduction of an energy pass for buildings. Little attention has been given to date to buying electricity generated from renewable sources of energy ('green electricity') or to concepts for innovative heating or insulation systems, in other words: concepts for producing one's own electricity and/or heat from renewable sources of energy and the use of highly-efficient heat and power systems.
One important impediment to the diffusion of corresponding products and services is the lack of information on the preferences private households have for sustainable energy consumption. Such information constitutes a fundamental basis for developing strategies to support the diffusion of different types of sustainable energy supply and consumption.

Project aims
This project wants to make a substantial contribution to research into consumer behaviour in connection with energy consumption in residential buildings. With the help of an innovative interview method, it will determine how preferences for certain uses of energy develop in private households and what the different bases for these choices are. One objective of this project is to identify obstacles that stand in the way of a broader use of renewable sources of energy and the sustainable use of energy. Sub-projects are investigating the role that gender relations play in such decisions and are examining the efficiency of measures that could increase the share of environmentally-friendly forms of energy in private households.

Co-ordination
Dr Klaus Rennings
Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW)
L7, 1
D-68161 Mannheim, GERMANY
Tel: +49 (0) 621 1235 207
E-mail: rennings(at)zew.de

Research partners
Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI (Fraunhofer ISI) Karlsruhe: Professor (Adjunct) Dr Joachim Schleich
Öko-Institut e.V. Freiburg (Institute for Applied Ecology): Dr Bettina Brohmann
German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin): Michael Kohlhaas

Subcontract
University of St. Gallen, Switzerland: Professor Dr Rolf Wüstenhagen, Dr Julia Nentwich

Field partners
Research institutes
European Commission, DG JRC, Institute for Energy, Renewable Energies Unit
Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy

Power utilities, energy agencies and associations
Swiss Federal Office of Energy
EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG, Karlsruhe: Dr Wolfram Münch
Vattenfall Europe Berlin AG & Co. KG
Verband Kommunaler Unternehmen e.V. VKU (Association of Municipal Enterprises)

Manufacturers, enterprises
Solar-Fabrik AG, Freiburg
Good Energies Inc.
Accera Venture Partners AG, Mannheim

Environmental and industry associations
Bundesverband Gebäudeenergieberater, Ingenieure, Handwerker (GIH) (Federal Association of Building Energy Consultants, Engineers, Tradespersons), Stuttgart
Arbeitsgemeinschaft für sparsame Energie- und Wasserverwendung im VKU (Association of Local Utilities to Advance the Rational Use of Water and Energy)
Germanwatch
German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association, Environmental Policy Department

Consumer organisations
Bund der Energieverbraucher e.V. (Energy Consumers Association), Rheinbreitbach
Verbraucherzentrale NRW e.V. (Consumer Advice Centre of North Rhine-Westphalia)

Energy agencies
hessenENERGIE GmbH, Wiesbaden
Berliner Energieagentur GmbH