Exploring the Potential of Energy Consumers in Smart Grid Using Focus Group Methodology

The socio-technological transition towards smart grids is an on-going process requiring adaptive behaviour by consumers. It is commonly assumed that consumer's attitudes and behaviours need to be modified to secure a sustainable energy future. This paper aims at exploring the influence of energy behaviours on smart grid processes, by contributing to the characterisation and systematisation of energy behaviours for specific segment of Croatian residential sector and proposing an integrative focus group methodology. Results show that participants have a positive predisposition towards smart technologies and home demand-side-management, but are less likely to accept automation system controlled by a supplier. We propose that smart grid designs must look beyond only the technology and recognise that a smart user who is actively engaged with energy is critical to much of what is proposed by demand-side-management. In the future, new innovative business models should be developed to explore different options to involve consumers to become smart users.