Keywords

1 Introduction

The European Union (EU) has ambitions to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The realisation of this ambition is supported by a portfolio of energy policies within REPowerEU that cover the decarbonisation of the energy system, the reduction of energy demand particularly at peak times, energy efficiency, and tackling energy security (European Commission, 2022). The enactment of these policies will see significant, and rapid modifications to the energy system at all scales. Residential changes will include increases in energy storage, residential energy production, demand-side flexibility schemes, energy-related technologies, and community energy schemes. We argue that successful energy system modifications require societal engagement and collaboration between citizens, objects, and actors (such as governments or private businesses) via discrete projects, the energy market, and everyday social practices. Drawing upon the complexity of ways in which citizens can engage with energy systems (Chilvers et al., 2018), we collectively term these forms of engagement: ‘participation’.

This chapter focuses on the development of citizens’ energy system participation, and the need for energy-related knowledge, or energy literacy. Whilst multiple confounding factors influence citizens’ energy system participation, our prioritisation of knowledge is due to evidence that participation and the gaining of benefits from energy system changes can be inhibited when knowledge is missing. Furthermore, a lack of, or incorrect, informationFootnote 1has been shown to lead to non-optimal outcomes for the electrical network when citizens engage with new technologies and market offers (Calver et al., 2022). EU citizens need to be energy literate, which we argue must go beyond knowing how to save energy within the home. They must understand how to meaningfully participate in this transition—for example, through the adoption or rejection of new technologies or tariffs—via involvement with community schemes, and through energy system trials and co-creation. Importantly, they must have information on how likely they are to benefit from these different forms of participation based on their circumstances, allowing them to better navigate the ever-increasing complexity of the energy market, and ensuring informed consent for participation. These are themes discussed within this chapter, with a focus on the types and details of knowledge that citizens require, in addition to the conditions required for this knowledge to be developed.

As an interdisciplinary group (Human Geography, Engineering, and Construction Project Management), we brought together knowledge of the proposed technical changes to centralised energy system within the EU, with Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) understandings of how citizens are expected to, and do, participate in energy systems—marrying together two often discrete areas. Our policy recommendations were informed by a workshop in Greater Manchester, UK, that brought together different actors associated with low-carbon energy transitions (including from the public sector, academia, and the charity sector) and those from different disciplinary backgrounds (including Economics and Environmental Science). During the workshop, the interdisciplinary research team adopted the dual roles of researcher and workshop participant. The workshop highlighted where different disciplinary and professional perspectives converged and provided examples and initiatives to reflect upon.

The workshop discussions focused on: (1) technical energy system interventions; and (2) the role of citizens in these interventions. More technical-leaning discussions were encouraged through sessions that looked back at energy system changes over time, with the subsequent discussion looking forward into the energy systems of the future, drawing upon energy scenarios as prompts. More social-leaning reflections were prompted when discussing the opportunities and challenges of these changes, with a focus placed on the consequences for different individuals. During the discussions, facilitators helped ensure that knowledge and the conditions needed for the development of knowledge were considered.

1.1 The Knowledge and Conditions for Developing Energy Literacy

There is a plethora of research on energy literacy, and the development of knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours to allow citizens to engage in energy decision-making (Santillán & Cedano, 2023; van den Broek, 2019). Predominantly, this work holds the narrative that imparting information and developing energy-literate citizens will lead to more rational energy decisions, principally leading to reduced energy consumption and the taking up of specific low-carbon technologies. However, findings linking energy literacy to energy behaviour change are mixed (Adams et al., 2022), and we advance that the premise of a ‘rational’ or ‘right’ action no longer stands where everyday citizens are expected to play an active role in an energy system beyond using or curtailing energy. Instead, with the ever-increasing complexity of the energy market, we contend that a greater focus should be placed on ensuring citizens have the diverse knowledge needed to confidently navigate and meaningfully participate in the new energy landscape.

Whilst there is no specific EU policy related to energy literacy, there is an awareness of the importance of developing energy literacy amongst the EU and Member States. For example, the Hungarian National Energy and Climate Plan includes a commitment to establish energy/climate literacy-enhancing campaigns and educational measures (Hungarian Ministry of Innovation & Technology, 2021). Similarly, the revised EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive considers the provision of information, such as Energy Performance Certificates, as a measure to improve energy literacy (European Union2024). Several EU-funded projects have also engaged with the concept. These projects have developed practical tools aiming to increase citizen awareness and knowledge of how they can participate in the energy system, with many projects focusing on energy communities. For example, the Horizon2020 NEWCOMERS project (Drevenšek & Tajnšek, 2022) advocated for education to support change, with citizens’ understanding a prerequisite for meaningful participation in energy communities. Similarly, the REScoop network has co-created a handbook for supporting citizens and local communities to participate in community-led renewable change projects (Friends of the Earth Europe, 2020).

The academic literature suggests energy literacy consists of different knowledge areas. van den Broek (2019) extrapolates four aspects of energy literacy knowledge: device energy literacy (understanding how specific technological artefacts work); action energy literacy (understanding options available in relation to changing energy practices to reduce energy consumption); financial energy literacy (understanding short- and long-term costs and potential gains from different forms of energy system participation); and multifaceted energy literacy (understanding energy systems more broadly, and how their action is part of a broader system). When discussing the knowledge required for citizens to make informed decisions about participating in the energy system, during the workshop, all four aspects of energy literacy were implicitly referred to by participants. There was a recognition of the varied ability of citizens to participate in, make decisions about, and represent themselves within the energy system depending on their context.

Informed by the workshop discussions, existing literature, and the different disciplinary perspectives of the research team, we have identified three areas that can be addressed through policy to facilitate citizens to develop their energy literacy—(1) tackling the information gap between generic and bespoke provision, (2) framing participationin the energy system beyond energy, and (3) ensuring citizen access to trusted and trustworthy actors and sources of information. These three areas inform and dictate how individuals receive, process, and understand information related to energy decision-making.

1.2 Tackling the Information Gap Between Generic and Bespoke Provision

To ensure that citizens have appropriate energy-related knowledge to meaningfully participate in the energy transition, there is a need to ensure that the information provided is reflective of the different contexts of citizens. Much of the available information about opportunities and outcomes of citizen participation in the energy transition (e.g. the adoption of new technologies or engagement with demand-side response schemes) is generic in nature. For example, providing the average payback times for LED lamps; TV campaigns about new energy tariffs; or generic guidance on how to most effectively use heat pumps based on average properties and routines. The drawbacks of more generic information provision are shown in research, with scholars highlighting how this can lead to households making decisions on incomplete, and sometimes incorrect, information based on their circumstances (Fell et al., 2014). As stated by Krishnamurti et al. (2012, p. 796), there is the need to communicate “realistic expectations of benefits and risks, explicitly addressing the misconceptions commonly found in the mental models of consumers forced to rely on the information currently available to them”. Whilst there are often mechanisms to support more bespoke information being shared with citizens (i.e. home energy audits, renovation surveys, and plans), these may still rely on this generic guidance and are resource intensive.

The provision of tailored information on residential energy technologies can be facilitated by local initiatives, coordinated by actors such as local government or third-sector organisations. Yet, this information needs to capture the plurality of options available, so that citizens have a complete understanding of the technologies or participation options that may be suitable for them, rather than only being informed about options that are of interest to third parties (Calver et al., 2022). These local initiatives require support and resources from both EU and Member State Governments, so that they can be undertaken and to ensure they align with broader priorities. Such support and resources extend beyond finance, to include technological guidance and information for those actors coordinating local initiatives. Insights from residential energy intervention trials in the public and private sectors do not always flow through to those on-the-ground. There is a need to ensure that state-of-the-art knowledge on the opportunities and suitability of different energy system engagements can be utilised by those supporting citizens to understand their options (thus contributing to citizen knowledge), such as energy auditors, technology installers, energy advisors, social housing providers, and renovation professionals. In doing so, this will add to a growing pool of knowledge on how physical characteristics of homes, household makeup, routines, and energy needs interplay with outcomes (both for the household and the energy system), and how these relate to meeting EU policy aims. The provision of this more tailored information will help citizens gain the knowledge to better participate in the low-carbon energy transition.

1.3 Framing Participation in the Energy Transition Beyond Energy

The way information is framed, can influence how citizens interpret, comprehend, and respond to energy-related data and advice. A workshop participant who supports vulnerable households in implementing energy efficiency measures reflected, “people like to understand the reason behind why you need to do something”. This aligns with Mert’s (2008) reflections on the link between consumers understanding the broader impacts of using smart technologies and being motivated to adopt them. The justification of the energy transition and technologies also provides the opportunity to make links across a range of priorities for individuals. For example, a participant from Greater Manchester’s regional government gave the example of the recently launched Local Energy Advice Demonstrator (LEAD) in Greater Manchester, which focuses on the financial benefits of home energy efficiency improvements (Groundwork, 2024). As such, the justification of policy priorities can support knowledge generation and participation.

Acknowledging the interplay between participating in the energy system and other aspects of daily life is pertinent not only for citizens, but also for the actors involved in providing energy advice. This is particularly evident when reflecting upon the potential health consequences of household participation in the energy system. Those providing advice or supporting activities need to be aware of the consequences of poor decision-making and the potential negative impacts on households. For example, workshop participants gave powerful accounts of health impacts as a co-benefit or conflict, alongside energy and financial outcomes. Accounts included discussion of where houses were adapted to be low-carbon, but resulted in less liveable spaces (e.g. overheating, an increase in condensation), which affected those individuals' acceptance of these new energy practices, and had a knock-on effect on influencing acceptance of those within their networks. Thus, there is a need for those providing advice and support to understand these health consequences, and how best to communicate these, alongside enhanced consumer protection legislation to support the achievement of liveable homes. As such, there is also a need to think about framing and its consequence on the achievement of policy ambitions at a range of scales including that of the EU, Member States, and municipalities.

1.4 Ensuring Citizen Access to Trusted and Trustworthy Actors and Sources of Information

For citizens to develop energy literacy, there is a need for access to trusted sources of information. Trust was a key theme within the workshop discussions, used almost synonymously with the transparency of information and advice. This reinforces research showing the importance of energy information and advice being presented by trusted actors (Khuc et al., 2023), perceived to have positive intentions (Greenberg, 2014). Participants reflected on who is considered a trusted voice, stating both neighbours and established, reputable organisations.

Participants from the municipal government and third-sector representatives shared experiences of renovation policies and initiatives in Greater Manchester. They reflected on the importance of being up-front when sharing information and advice, particularly around potential household disruption, managing households’ expectations of the process, and providing clarity on why citizens are eligible for different funding sources. Participants shared anecdotes of individuals turning down legitimate support due to a lack of trust in the organisations involved. Suggested reasons for not trusting organisations included concerns of vested interests influencing information provision and previous negative experiences with financial support schemes.

The discussions reinforced arguments for using local, trusted organisations, based within the community to articulate information about energy policies, changes in the energy system, and opportunities for citizen participation (Chambers et al., 2022). The importance of the EU, Member States, and municipalities as coordinators and enablers was highlighted during the workshop, as these different institutions can create the right policy frameworks and funding models to ensure citizens get this locally specific information from these trusted sources.

Overall, whilst the European Commission recognises the importance of building trust to support citizen participation (European Union, 2023), our workshop discussions and the literature show the importance of using multiple channels to share information on energy policy and opportunities for citizens to participate in the energy system. These multiple channels include trusted actors, particularly those with political, technological, and product impartiality.

2 Achieving Our Recommendation

With current strategies for achieving the EU’s climate neutrality placing value in having knowledgeable and engaged citizens, the approach to energy literacy presented in this chapter can guide policy mechanisms towards this aim. This chapter calls for a refocus on developing energy-literate citizens away from simply understanding how to reduce energy in the home, towards allowing citizens to meaningfully participate in the low-carbon energy transition, and gain benefits from doing so. The achievement of our policy recommendation, as outlined in our title—facilitate energy literacy amongst citizens to support their meaningful participation in the energy transition—can be supported by the following sub-recommendations related to the information shared, how it is communicated, and who is sharing it.

Firstly, we discussed the use of ‘average’ citizen outcomes from different forms of participation within the energy system, and the need for the information provided to better reflect the different contexts of citizens. There is a plethora of data coming from trials and projects across the EU, but there is a need for intervention at national and subnational levels to collect, interpret, and communicate this information. An understanding of local contexts would allow citizens (and those actors involved with this transition) greater knowledge of potential implications, positive or negative, of energy system participation.

Secondly, we discussed how being energy literate requires citizens to have knowledge that extends beyond energy technologies and practices, such as knowledge related to finance and health. Financial implications are often considered, but knowledge on health implications needs to be further considered, along with implications on other aspects of everyday life. Whilst knowledge within these areas may increase participation, focusing on these areas also facilitates increased informed consent for those embarking on different forms of participation. The acknowledgement of the breadth of knowledge required to be energy literate is critical for policies that set out a role for individuals, such as the Renovation Wave (European Commission, 2020) and for diversifying the energy mix. Furthermore, there is value in grounding these low-carbon ambitions within defined contexts to support motivation, demonstrating the value of establishing sub-EU scale narratives within policy ambitions.

Lastly, we discuss how this information must come from trusted and trustworthy actors. We highlight how trust can be eroded by a lack of access to unbiased sources of information, a lack of clarity on what support may be available, and perceived or real vested interests. There is a need to ensure that trusted voices are involved in the articulation of information and opportunities related to shifting residential energy systems (e.g. local initiatives related to the Social Climate Fund), with the EU, Member States, and municipalities having a role in amplifying these trusted voices.

The growing role of citizens in achieving the EU’s climate ambitions demonstrates the need to ensure that European societies are energy literate and have the knowledge to meaningfully participate in energy system change. The EU can take a proactive role in developing policy to facilitate the development of energy literacy and support Member States to take domestic action to support the achievement of a climate-neutral Europe. This will, however, require continued collaboration between science and technology researchers and practitioners, who are involved with envisioning and developing our future energy system, with SSH researchers and practitioners, who understand the lived experience of energy on-the-ground.