NEW ENERGY RESEARCH

Dr Janet Stephenson

Energy Cultures team

What’s unique about the Energy Cultures approach?

• Interdisciplinary team

• Energy transitions, behaviour change

• Whole-picture thinking

• Energy Cultures framework

Material culture

Energy practices

Norms Do

Have

Think

ENERGY CULTURES 2

1. Energy efficiency in households, businesses & their transport

2. Future transport systems

Energy Cultures 2

• led from Otago University

• 4 years 2012-2016

• 12 researchers

• 2 PhD & 4 Masters scholarships

Prof. Gerry Carrington physics/

engineering

Dr Paul Thorsnes

economics

Dr Janet Stephenson sociology/

human geography

Prof. Rob Lawson consumer psychology

Prof. Barry Barton law & policy

Dr John Williams

marketing

Dr Rebecca Ford

engineering

Dr Sara Walton

management

Dr David Rees system

dynamics

Dr Charles Sullivan psychology;

transport statistics

Michelle Scott psychology, HCI

Debbie Hopkins environmental

sociology

The Energy Cultures team today

Dr Adam Doering social science;

transport

Research questions posed by MBIE

1. Considering the current pattern of energy usage in New Zealand homes, small businesses and transport, where do the ‘highest impact’ opportunities lie for energy savings and how can these be cost effectively leveraged?

2. In transport, what is possible with new technologies and practices for energy efficiency and conservation and how can consumers be encouraged to adopt them and encourage markets to deliver them?

Many existing unlinked data sets relating to energy use/behaviours

Data mining; statistical analysis

2nd (& 3rd ?) national household surveys plus transport questions

Longitudinal study: changes, trends, energy culture clusters

Energy use and efficiency potential in SMEs

Survey, interviews

“Personalised Energy Priorities” Prioritisation software based on

conjoint analysis

Business interest in adoption of new transport technologies &

practices

Structured ideas exchange with international and NZ experts &

leaders on future transport for NZ

Business opportunities in future transport

Policy and regulatory change to support future transport systems

Action research with early adopters in association with fuel company

Engineer

System Dynamics modelling Qualitative quantitative

Integrating all streams