Welfare, Employment and Energy Demand: Examining Tensions and Opportunities in the Delivery of Demand Reduction
Lead Research Organisation:
UNIVERSITY OF EXETER
Department Name: Geography
Abstract
Energy demand reduction is a key issue for the UK as it is necessary to meet several national policy goals, including energy security, carbon emissions targets and wider sustainability aims. The challenges involved in achieving this are significant and in general there is strong recognition that it will not be achieved through technological change alone but will require changes in the way that we use energy as part of daily life. What energy is used for is in part a reflection of how governments shape objectives and investments across many different policy domains. It follows that non-energy policies, for example, relating to economic development, health and safety or consumer choice, can have major implications for energy demand. This proposed project takes on the challenge of identifying the unintended energy demand consequences of policies beyond those focused specifically on energy. The research uses the policy area of welfare and employment as a case because it includes goals that have implications in terms of increasing energy demand (e.g. economic growth), reproducing particular temporal patterns of demand (e.g. through employment policies), and reducing demand (e.g. across welfare policies, such as for housing). The project aims to offer insight into; 1) the role of non-energy policy in the constitution of energy use and needs; and 2) the tensions and opportunities that arise in using non-energy policy to transform energy demand.
The research will address the following key questions:
1) How do welfare and employment policies contribute to the construction of needs, entitlements, and expectations, with regard to energy usage?
2) Which policy goals and associated strategies in this area conflict with aims for reducing energy usage and what opportunities exist for synergy?
3) How can policy-makers reconcile conflicting policy objectives and achieve welfare and employment goals in ways commensurate with reducing energy demand?
These research questions will be addressed through a programme of empirical research split across three interlinked work packages. Work package 1 focuses on reviewing and mapping current welfare and employment policies, along with relevant literature, empirical research and secondary data to facilitate assessment of energy demand impacts. Work package 2 builds on the review work by undertaking in-depth qualitative interviews with policy-makers and other stakeholders in the areas of welfare and employment. Work package 3 involves deliberative forum workshops with people working in both energy and welfare and employment across policy (national and regional), policy delivery, NGO's and other relevant institutions. The project will generate a rich novel data set that will be used to interrogate important questions about the role of non-energy policy in energy demand reduction. The lessons learned from this case study will inform processes of policy-making and innovation for energy demand reduction.
The research will address the following key questions:
1) How do welfare and employment policies contribute to the construction of needs, entitlements, and expectations, with regard to energy usage?
2) Which policy goals and associated strategies in this area conflict with aims for reducing energy usage and what opportunities exist for synergy?
3) How can policy-makers reconcile conflicting policy objectives and achieve welfare and employment goals in ways commensurate with reducing energy demand?
These research questions will be addressed through a programme of empirical research split across three interlinked work packages. Work package 1 focuses on reviewing and mapping current welfare and employment policies, along with relevant literature, empirical research and secondary data to facilitate assessment of energy demand impacts. Work package 2 builds on the review work by undertaking in-depth qualitative interviews with policy-makers and other stakeholders in the areas of welfare and employment. Work package 3 involves deliberative forum workshops with people working in both energy and welfare and employment across policy (national and regional), policy delivery, NGO's and other relevant institutions. The project will generate a rich novel data set that will be used to interrogate important questions about the role of non-energy policy in energy demand reduction. The lessons learned from this case study will inform processes of policy-making and innovation for energy demand reduction.
Planned Impact
This project will provide findings relating to how non-energy policies impact on, constrain or enable policy goals for energy demand reduction, as well as offering insight into policy-making processes. We envisage conclusions being beneficial to users in two specific ways: 1) through providing understanding of the ways that specific policies, not typically considered as important for energy policy, impact on energy demand; 2) by informing the development of working practices and strategies for realising energy demand reduction goals across policy areas.
Given that reducing energy demand is a policy priority for the UK, we anticipate a large number of economic and societal beneficiaries. These include; government and policy representatives (e.g. Department for Work and Pensions, Department of Energy and Climate Change, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Welsh Government, Scottish Government), regulators (e.g. OFGEM), third sector organisations (e.g. Energy Saving Trust, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Centre for Sustainable Energy, National Energy Action), and energy industries (e.g. EDF Energy).
Our impact work will be based around partnerships and collaborative working which we have already begun to develop with key beneficiaries. In particular, we have secured the commitment of several stakeholders to actively contribute to the research via the project's advisory panel: Mike Daly (Central Analysis Division, Department for Work and Pensions), Simon Roberts (Director, Centre for Sustainable Energy), Katharine Knox (Research Manager, Community Assets and Climate Change, Joseph Rowntree Foundation), and Helen Stockton (Senior Research and Policy Officer, National Energy Action). We also have strong connections with officials in the Department of Energy and Climate Change that will be utilised in conjunction with the wider DEMAND Centre links to further develop collaborative relationships.
Through engaging with relevant organisations from the outset we have been able to establish the importance and relevance of the proposed research for users outside of academia (see for example, statements of support from National Energy Action and the Centre for Sustainable Energy). We will build on this initial engagement activity to identify and connect with a wider set of users and beneficiaries throughout the project. These processes will culminate in deliberative workshops to be undertaken as part of the research. The workshops will bring together policy makers and stakeholders working in welfare and employment, across policy (national and regional), policy delivery, NGO's and other relevant institutions, with those working on energy policy and demand reduction. They will provide forums for reflection and exchange and, ultimately, offer a pathway to positively impact on organisational culture, practices and policy.
Other activities designed to ensure we reach as diverse and wide a range of potential beneficiaries as possible include: communicating via the mainstream media and social media outlets; presenting outcomes of our work at a range of meetings and conferences, including targeted presentations for key users and beneficiaries at their institutions; disseminating through policy briefings and reports that facilitate early access to research insights for those outside of academia (for details see Pathways to Impact).
Given that reducing energy demand is a policy priority for the UK, we anticipate a large number of economic and societal beneficiaries. These include; government and policy representatives (e.g. Department for Work and Pensions, Department of Energy and Climate Change, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Welsh Government, Scottish Government), regulators (e.g. OFGEM), third sector organisations (e.g. Energy Saving Trust, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Centre for Sustainable Energy, National Energy Action), and energy industries (e.g. EDF Energy).
Our impact work will be based around partnerships and collaborative working which we have already begun to develop with key beneficiaries. In particular, we have secured the commitment of several stakeholders to actively contribute to the research via the project's advisory panel: Mike Daly (Central Analysis Division, Department for Work and Pensions), Simon Roberts (Director, Centre for Sustainable Energy), Katharine Knox (Research Manager, Community Assets and Climate Change, Joseph Rowntree Foundation), and Helen Stockton (Senior Research and Policy Officer, National Energy Action). We also have strong connections with officials in the Department of Energy and Climate Change that will be utilised in conjunction with the wider DEMAND Centre links to further develop collaborative relationships.
Through engaging with relevant organisations from the outset we have been able to establish the importance and relevance of the proposed research for users outside of academia (see for example, statements of support from National Energy Action and the Centre for Sustainable Energy). We will build on this initial engagement activity to identify and connect with a wider set of users and beneficiaries throughout the project. These processes will culminate in deliberative workshops to be undertaken as part of the research. The workshops will bring together policy makers and stakeholders working in welfare and employment, across policy (national and regional), policy delivery, NGO's and other relevant institutions, with those working on energy policy and demand reduction. They will provide forums for reflection and exchange and, ultimately, offer a pathway to positively impact on organisational culture, practices and policy.
Other activities designed to ensure we reach as diverse and wide a range of potential beneficiaries as possible include: communicating via the mainstream media and social media outlets; presenting outcomes of our work at a range of meetings and conferences, including targeted presentations for key users and beneficiaries at their institutions; disseminating through policy briefings and reports that facilitate early access to research insights for those outside of academia (for details see Pathways to Impact).
Organisations
Publications
Butler C
(2018)
Rethinking energy demand governance: Exploring impact beyond 'energy' policy
in Energy Research & Social Science
Butler C
(2022)
Energy Poverty, Practice, and Policy
Butler, C.
(2017)
Routledge Research Companion to Energy Geographies
Haf S
(2018)
Distributing power? Community energy projects' experiences of planning, policy and incumbents in the devolved nations of Scotland and Wales
in Journal of Environmental Planning and Management
Haf S
(2017)
The Muillean Gaoithe and the Melin Wynt: Cultural sustainability and community owned wind energy schemes in Gaelic and Welsh speaking communities in the United Kingdom
in Energy Research & Social Science
Description | The project addresses governance issues related to the challenges of climate change, energy security, energy poverty. It has made a central contribution to academic research and theory on the role of non-energy policy in shaping energy issues. This body of research broadly arises from the observation that government policies, strategies, and processes across wide-ranging areas of policy, from health to work and the economy, shape everyday practices with significant implications for energy issues. This research has made two primary contributions thus far: first, it has developed a distinctive analytic framework for making visible 'non-energy' policy impacts, which might otherwise be obscured within analysis (Butler et al. 2018). We argue for a focus on both direct and indirect forms of policy influence and highlight different spatial and temporal scales for analysis. The framework is developed through application to the case of welfare and employment policy in the UK but has the potential for much broader international applications in policy analysis. Second, it has generated insights into understanding of inequality and wider poverty in shaping energy demand issues, including fuel poverty but also processes of reducing energy demand (Butler and Parkhill, in preparation). Crucially, we highlight the wider structural factors evident in the production of fuel poverty and argue for approaches that can account for ephemeral movements in and out of energy poverty. We further suggest that there is a need to address inequality more explicitly as part of analysis, policy and practice relating to energy demand reduction. The research has also established good relationship with non-academic stakeholders across multiple relevant institutions including, government policy teams at local and national scales (such as the fuel poverty team in DBEIS), charitable organisations and bodies (such as Citizens Advice Bureau, National Energy Action, and Centre for Sustainable Energy), and industry (such as Northern Power Grid, DNOs, and Ofgem). |
Exploitation Route | Through the project we have engaged a wide range of non-academic (see above) and academic stakeholders in the research. This has resulted in significant interest in the research outcomes. Two major outputs are in process one aimed at generating academic impact (a Palgrave monograph) and one aimed at non-academics (a stakeholder report). We envisage findings being taken forward by others in two specific ways: 1) by making a major contribution to shaping the development of an important new research trajectory on invisible energy policy (or non-energy policy); 2) through application in the development of policy and practice related to fuel poverty in particular. |
Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Energy,Environment,Government, Democracy and Justice,Transport |
Description | The research has generated shifts in the understanding of energy demand issues by building insights into the ways that policy areas outside of energy have implications and shape the nature of the problems in important ways. The ways that policy areas beyond energy have roles in increasing the requirements for energy services as part of daily life is evidenced through the research. By focusing on welfare policy, contributions to the understanding of energy poverty have been particularly important. In this respect, the research has brought focus on the ways that the rising energy intensity of everyday life has important implications not only for sustainability but for energy poverty. The project has used workshops, presentations, interviews, reports, and written evidence to engage with multiple stakeholders across a wide range of organisations from European government, UK national government, non-governmental organisations, industry, charities, and members of the public. The feedback from these activities has highlighted the ways that the project has produced changes in understanding about the issues being addressed. A book from the project due to be published in 2022 will be utilised to further advance the dissemination of this work and shape enhanced understanding of energy demand challenges. |
First Year Of Impact | 2018 |
Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Energy,Environment,Government, Democracy and Justice |
Impact Types | Societal,Policy & public services |
Description | Evidence given to Energy and Climate Change Select Committee via RGS submission |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Description | Evidence given to House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Impact | The written evidence was cited in the report published by the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee and used in the reports recommendations for effective solutions to climate change. The report highlights the importance of behaviour change to achieving net zero targets and used the research and insights we submitted in written evidence to offer routes, recommendations and areas for policy support to deliver relevant behaviour changes. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/30146/documents/174873/default/ |
URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/work/1621/mobilising-action-on-climate-change-and-environment-behav... |
Description | Evidence to Government Consultation on the Industrial Strategy via the RGS submission |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Description | House of Commons COP26 Principles and Priorities |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
URL | https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5801/cmselect/cmbeis/1000/100004.htm |
Description | Experimenting with data-driven approaches to well-being in off-grid informal urban settings |
Amount | £297,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | The British Academy |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2020 |
End | 01/2024 |
Description | Invisible Energy and the Academies Programme: Challenges and Opportunities for energy demand reduction |
Amount | £100,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 2399408 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 10/2020 |
End | 03/2024 |
Description | University of Exeter ESRC IAA Impact Cultivation Award |
Amount | £3,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 06/2015 |
End | 03/2016 |
Description | Advisory Panel Meeting - 2016 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | A second advisory panel for the project was held with representatives from third sector and practitioner organisations such as the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, National Energy Action, and Centre for Sustainable Energy, as well as academic advisors. The day long meeting sparked discussion and questions about the project outcomes to date, and participants reported changes in views relating to the connections between the policy areas being addressed in the project. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Blog for End Use Energy Demand Centre Website |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | A blog was published on the End Use Energy Demand Centre website reaching a wide audience through the website and promotion on social media. Subsequently, requests for further information about the project and reflections on the piece were received from audience members via email and twitter. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | http://www.eueduk.com/welfare-employment-policy-impacts-energy-demand/ |
Description | Centre for Sustainable Energy Workshop on Bristol Smart Energy City Collaboration |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The workshop provided opportunity to input to development of a road-map for the realization of energy demand reduction aims in Bristol. New connections were formed with regional stakeholders and practitioners and information from the project was used as a basis for contributions. A report and road-map are being developed from the workshop with activities planned for the Smart Energy City Collaboration to take forward over the next 3 years. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | https://www.cse.org.uk/projects/view/1296 |
Description | Debating Europe Interview |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | I took part in an interview for Debating Europe - an online platform that supports debate between the public and European politicians and experts. The debate addressed questions about energy poverty and energy demand reduction. It provoked 20 comments and responses from a range of individuals relating to the issues discussed. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.debatingeurope.eu/2020/10/12/should-poor-families-be-given-energy-saving-technologies-fo... |
Description | Environment and Health Behaviours Workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The event brought together researchers and practitioners in health behaviours with those looking at environmental behaviours. It sparked thinking about the avenues for impact from the project and interest from organisations not previously considered. It also led to a further event in February 2016 which Butler co-organised. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | National Energy Action Annual Conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Interactions at the conference established new contacts with interests in the project and facilitated identification and developed of new relationships with potential beneficiaries. Generated interest in participating in the project as interviewees. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.nea.org.uk/campaigns-events/calendar/sheffield |
Description | Not4Experts Tyndall Centre Webinar |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Approximately 40 people attended a Not4Experts webinar given by Catherine Butler and Karen Parkhill from various locations around the UK. This sparked discussion afterwards and communications from attendees whose interest in the research had been raised. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Policy/practitioner workshops |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | We undertook workshops with non-academic audiences in three locations across the UK - London, Bristol, York - with the London workshop being hosted within the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and including representatives from the Department for Work and Pensions. Approximately 10 participants took part in each workshop. This activity consolidated existing relationships as well as developing interest from new parties in the results of the research and in an event planned to launch a stakeholder report on the findings of the research in summer 2019. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018,2019 |
Description | Presentation 'Communicating risk and uncertainty' |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | A presentation was given drawing on the research, prompting debate, discussion, and questions from the audience on issues of communication about risk and uncertainty. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Presentation at EDF workshop on 'Interrelating energy and poverty: extending the research agenda' |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | A presentation was given to a small workshop of approximately 15 individuals organised with EDF energy in Paris. The talk generated further interest in the project and sparked questions and discussion afterwards. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Public talk at York |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Approximately 80 people attended a public lecture on the project, which prompted questions and discussion afterwards. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Roundtable on Strategic narratives for climate change |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Approximately 30 people attended a roundtable of experts, policy professionals, and practitioners chaired by Lord Deben addressing questions about narratives relating to climate change. The roundtable produced debate and discussion with key inputs from the project and sparked plans for future related activities. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Royal Geographical Society Presentation |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | paper presentation |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The talk generated interest in and engagement with the project from audience members - questions after the talk and further discussion after the session. After the talk requests for further information about the project were received and new connections established |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.energywelfareproject.org/#!news---events/y2nei |
Description | UCL Public Seminar Series Presentation |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | 70 participants from a diverse range of academic and non-academic backgrounds attended a presentation on the research, which was also made available online as a webinar after the event. The talk sparked discussion and interest in the research with follow up contact from two participants to collaborate on future work in the subject area. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/energy/events/2019/feb/fuel-poverty-and-invisible-energy-policy-ucl-e... |
Description | Welfare, Employment and Energy Demand Project Advisory Panel |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | A day long discussion about the research and presentation about the project so far resulted in interest in the research and enabled us to identify areas of particular interest for research users. After the meeting participants have expressed their interest in the research, including developing a joint PhD proposal to be linked to the project. They have also assisted in connecting us with other non-academic audiences to whom they think the research will be of interest. Plans are in place for future meetings. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |