Smart grids and households: how are household consumers represented in experimental projects?

This paper investigates how smart grid experimental projects in Denmark envision the future role of the private consumers in the energy system. The smart grid development in Denmark can be characterised as compound where several diverse actors are trying to shape the future of the energy system (Nyborg & Røpke, 2011). There are many visions of the content of a future smart grid. An active role of the users of electricity is a central difference between the current electricity system and the future smart grid. Analyses have shown that users are currently getting increasing attention in smart grid projects (Verbong, Beemsterboer, & Sengers, 2013, Hansen & Borup 2014).