The design and development of domestic smart grid interventions: Insights from the Netherlands

When studying smart grids experiments, much scholarly attention is directed at the household level. This
article argues for the importance to look further upstream by studying the development and design “ ”
phase of such interventions. The article focusses on the development of two smart grid projects in the
Netherlands. Using a set of qualitative research approaches the article investigates and maps the diversity
of actors that are typically involved in smart grid projects. Three themes are identi fied that play a
central role in the design of smart energy interventions. Given the type of actors prominent in the design,
this article finds that current smart energy interventions are desig ned based on decisions favouring
technological default, certain sticky user-assumptions, and automated control. The discu ssion covers
some implications of the prominence of these particular actors in smart grid projects, and the supplyside
biased design that it engenders.