<p>This thesis investigates the theoretical dimension of fuel transition in developing countries; and assesses the role of socio-cultural factors as determinants of fuel choice at household level. Past research has focused on income as a determining factor for fuel transition, as depicted by the energy ladder model, and the more development oriented energy leapfrogging model. This thesis challenges this notion by providing empirical evidence from Catembe, Mozambique; suggesting that socio-cultural factors are just as important determinants for household energy transition. By applying psycho-anthropologic research techniques, a series of qualitative and quantitative results from 402 households in Catembe, provide a framework for understanding the core factors responsible for household cooking energy choice. It was determined that factors such as taste preferences, cooking practices, local cuisine, kitchen type, gender relations and fuel preferences are culturally determined, and significantly influence on the adoption of modern cooking technologies. To demonstrate the importance for considering such factors, the introduction of an ethanol cook-stove is simulated and evaluated in terms of its applicability to user needs and preferences in Catembe. Results show that despite meeting developmental objectives, the stove falls short in conforming to the culinary traditional of intended beneficiaries.</p>

This thesis investigates the theoretical dimension of fuel transition in developing countries; and assesses the role of socio-cultural factors as determinants of fuel choice at household level. Past research has focused on income as a determining factor for fuel transition, as depicted by the energy ladder model, and the more development oriented energy leapfrogging model. This thesis challenges this notion by providing empirical evidence from Catembe, Mozambique; suggesting that socio-cultural factors are just as important determinants for household energy transition. By applying psycho-anthropologic research techniques, a series of qualitative and quantitative results from 402 households in Catembe, provide a framework for understanding the core factors responsible for household cooking energy choice. It was determined that factors such as taste preferences, cooking practices, local cuisine, kitchen type, gender relations and fuel preferences are culturally determined, and significantly influence on the adoption of modern cooking technologies. To demonstrate the importance for considering such factors, the introduction of an ethanol cook-stove is simulated and evaluated in terms of its applicability to user needs and preferences in Catembe. Results show that despite meeting developmental objectives, the stove falls short in conforming to the culinary traditional of intended beneficiaries.

Energy poverty is a major obstacle to human development. Energy services supply the benefits that “trigger” wider social and economic changes and create the conditions for improving social equality and economic growth. The South African government has scaled up electricity access to its poor population to such an extent that 85% of the country’s population had access to electricity in 2017. Nevertheless, access to electricity is not the same as the ability to use it, as the poor find the price of electricity unaffordable. The government therefore embarked on a programme to provide households’ that they consider ‘indigent’ or ‘poor’ 50kWh of free energy. This is criticized by many as not being enough to sufficiently satisfy household energy needs. Even the generous supply of 100kWh electricity provided by the City of Tshwane and the City of Johannesburg municipalities is considered to be insufficient. This study investigates the impact of the 100kWh free basic electricity subsidy on the energy use of the urban poor in the township of Soshanguve in the City of Tshwane municipality. It focuses on whether the 100kWh is enough to meet these household’s’ energy needs. The finding of the study is that the 100kWh FBE is enough to meet these households’ needs for lighting, some cooking and appliance use, but not for space and water heating. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

A dificuldade do gás natural em penetrar no mercado residencial e competir com os usos térmicos da energia elétrica é o objeto principal de análise deste trabalho, o qual procurará sustentar que, em centros urbanos onde o gás canalizado é ou será uma realidade, sua utilização mais ampla não deve ser em um contexto de competição predatória com os outros energéticos, mas de complementação estratégica do sistema energético como um todo. O uso térmico da eletricidade gera demanda e não consumo para as concessionárias de energia elétrica, ou seja, em curto espaço de tempo, dentro do chamado período de ponta do sistema elétrico, há uma concentração de uso do chuveiro elétrico, que exige uma importante infra-estrutura de geração, transmissão e distribuição de energia elétrica, para atender essa demanda pontual de fins térmicos, operando com significativos níveis de ociosidade no resto do tempo. Por outro lado, em muitos centros urbanos, com maior densidade populacional, a disponibilidade de gás natural canalizado teoricamente viabiliza a substituição da eletrotermia pelo aquecimento de água a gás. Para as companhias de distribuição de gás, o mercado de água quente é essencial para a viabilização econômica das redes e consolidação do mercado residencial. O gás canalizado apenas para fins de cocção conduz a redes extremamente custosas e de baixa utilização. Neste trabalho, tomando-se como estudo de caso a cidade de Santos, discute-se dentro de uma perspectiva mais ampla, como um planejamento integrado dos recursos pode levar em conta os investimentos a serem realizados, que conduzam a um melhor uso dos energéticos e das redes de distribuição de gás natural e energia elétrica, gerando ganhos para sociedade. Sugere-se, como conclusão, que uma abordagem integrada da questão energética, no caso a cidade de Santos, leve à redução do uso residencial da energia elétrica para fins térmicos, e garanta a disponibilidade desta para outros usos, sem maiores investimentos por parte da distribuidora. E por outro lado, o gás natural será incorporado à matriz energética local de forma eficiente, garantindo o desenvolvimento do seu mercado, que terá impactos sobre toda a Baixada Santista, integrando interesses desde a produção offshore na Bacia de Santos até o seu uso final dentro da própria região. / The natural gas difficult to penetrate in the residential market and compete with electrical energy is the main objective of this study, which will support that in big cities, where natural gas is already reality or will be the use of natural gas should not be considered competition for other types of energy resources but as a strategically complement of the overall power system. Electricity used as thermal source creates only demand for concessionaries and not consumption, in other words, there is short period of time when demand peaks and the amount of energy consumed by the electric shower is so high that requires a huge infra-structure of generation, transmission and distribution. However, it creates a big idle capacity in periods off-peak. Nevertheless, in the urban areas with high population density, the existence of pipelines turns feasible the replacement of electricity to natural gas in water heating. For natural gas distributors, the use natural gas in water heating is critical factor to make the pipeline network economically feasible and to consolidate the residential market. The use of natural gas only to cooking purposes makes the network very costly and with high idle capacity. This study will discuss how an integrated planning of resources within a broader perspective which considers not only the investments required but also the risks associated can lead to a better use of energy resources and distribution network of natural gas and electricity. With it, the whole society will gain. For this study, the city of Santos will be analyzed. Conclude that an integrated view of energy system in Santos will reduce the use of electricity as thermal source, freeing up capacity without incurring significant investments. Therefore, the natural gas will be wisely incorporated in the energy matrix assuring the development of new industry which will impact positively all onshore region near Santos, and will conciliate interests from offshore producers and local consumers of the region.

Despite recognition that reductions in fossil-fuel usage are necessary to reduce environmental harm, energy consumption continues to rise globally. There is a growing need to understand how to effectively influence individuals to reduce their energy consumption, particularly of fossil-fuels. Pro-environmental behaviour is the subset of consumer behaviour that is oriented towards reducing environmental impact compared to other options. It is widely agreed that due to a multiplicity of influencers, pro-environmental behaviour is best analysed using an integrated approach that allows the inclusion of different disciplinary perspectives, and seeks to identify the most important influences in the system under study. This dissertation sought to address the broader challenge of how to better design programs and policies that result in behaviour that is more sustainable. The objective of this dissertation was to assess the importance and effects of program structure and advice-giving on the pro-environmental behaviour of participating in a home energy evaluation program that encouraged homeowners to implement energy efficiency retrofits. Program structure was defined as the combination of the price of the evaluation, the financial reward structure, the level of government support, and the focus on influencing eight specific decisions within a specified timeframe. Advice-giving occurred during the initial evaluation with a home energy advisor and with the delivery of the report that contained a set of recommendations. A convergent mixed methods research design was employed to assess the relative importance of the two factors on participation and advice-following, where advice-following was considered as the matching of decisions to recommendations. The quantitative dataset was made up of files that detailed the 13,429 initial and the 6,123 follow-up evaluations conducted by advisors of the Residential Energy Efficiency Project (REEP) in the Region of Waterloo between 1999 and 2011. The qualitative data were gathered through 12 interviews with home energy advisors, eight of whom had worked for REEP and had conducted more than half of the home energy evaluations contained in the quantitative dataset. A natural quasi-experimental intervention that measured self-selection in response to varying program structure was employed to examine for variations in participation, material characteristics of houses, recommendations, and advice-following. To extend our understanding of the process of participation and decision making patterns, other analyses focused on relationships between the number of recommendations, the time between initial and follow-up evaluations, the number and types of decisions made, and the prioritization of decisions. The interviews assessed for differences in styles of advice-giving, and for their impact through comparison with the quantitative data that detailed the recommendations and decisions taken by the homeowners. The results of the effects of both factors were interpreted jointly and compared to previous studies about REEP or the EnerGuide for Houses and program as it was delivered nationally. This dissertation confirmed that an integrated approach to examining pro-environmental behaviour is supported as a useful framework for analysis. The findings support a process-based definition of pro-environmental behaviour as a useful model and form of integration. A convergent mixed methods research design is supported as a valuable and rigorous approach to examine the impact of various influences simultaneously. The delineation of multiple stages in the decision making process greatly enhanced the quality of analyses and findings. The two main factors of program structure and advice-giving affected advice-following. One factor influenced the other, as the program structure affected the receptiveness of homeowners as perceived by advisors, which affected advice-giving. The findings support the importance of both behaviourist and social learning approaches in influencing pro-environmental behaviour, and that their importance varies depending on the stage of the decision process. The findings show that behaviourist interventions, such as the program structure, were associated with variations in participation, and that different subsets of the population of houses from the Region of Waterloo were attracted to the different program structures. Indeed, in each program structure, the decision to return was influenced by different decisions. A critical finding of this study was that these programs were not sufficient to alter the path dependence of energy consumption or of energy systems as the program participants usually did not implement the most effective retrofits, and if they did, the retrofits did not achieve adequate depth of reductions to energy consumption in a timely manner. According to the home energy advisors, many homeowners had pre-conceived ideas upon entering the program of replacing their heating systems and windows. The interpretation of the qualitative and quantitative data showed that these intentions were often not altered, particularly in the case of windows, the decision that advisors believed to be the least effective of energy decisions.

Despite recognition that reductions in fossil-fuel usage are necessary to reduce environmental harm, energy consumption continues to rise globally. There is a growing need to understand how to effectively influence individuals to reduce their energy consumption, particularly of fossil-fuels. Pro-environmental behaviour is the subset of consumer behaviour that is oriented towards reducing environmental impact compared to other options. It is widely agreed that due to a multiplicity of influencers, pro-environmental behaviour is best analysed using an integrated approach that allows the inclusion of different disciplinary perspectives, and seeks to identify the most important influences in the system under study. This dissertation sought to address the broader challenge of how to better design programs and policies that result in behaviour that is more sustainable. The objective of this dissertation was to assess the importance and effects of program structure and advice-giving on the pro-environmental behaviour of participating in a home energy evaluation program that encouraged homeowners to implement energy efficiency retrofits. Program structure was defined as the combination of the price of the evaluation, the financial reward structure, the level of government support, and the focus on influencing eight specific decisions within a specified timeframe. Advice-giving occurred during the initial evaluation with a home energy advisor and with the delivery of the report that contained a set of recommendations. A convergent mixed methods research design was employed to assess the relative importance of the two factors on participation and advice-following, where advice-following was considered as the matching of decisions to recommendations. The quantitative dataset was made up of files that detailed the 13,429 initial and the 6,123 follow-up evaluations conducted by advisors of the Residential Energy Efficiency Project (REEP) in the Region of Waterloo between 1999 and 2011. The qualitative data were gathered through 12 interviews with home energy advisors, eight of whom had worked for REEP and had conducted more than half of the home energy evaluations contained in the quantitative dataset. A natural quasi-experimental intervention that measured self-selection in response to varying program structure was employed to examine for variations in participation, material characteristics of houses, recommendations, and advice-following. To extend our understanding of the process of participation and decision making patterns, other analyses focused on relationships between the number of recommendations, the time between initial and follow-up evaluations, the number and types of decisions made, and the prioritization of decisions. The interviews assessed for differences in styles of advice-giving, and for their impact through comparison with the quantitative data that detailed the recommendations and decisions taken by the homeowners. The results of the effects of both factors were interpreted jointly and compared to previous studies about REEP or the EnerGuide for Houses and program as it was delivered nationally. This dissertation confirmed that an integrated approach to examining pro-environmental behaviour is supported as a useful framework for analysis. The findings support a process-based definition of pro-environmental behaviour as a useful model and form of integration. A convergent mixed methods research design is supported as a valuable and rigorous approach to examine the impact of various influences simultaneously. The delineation of multiple stages in the decision making process greatly enhanced the quality of analyses and findings. The two main factors of program structure and advice-giving affected advice-following. One factor influenced the other, as the program structure affected the receptiveness of homeowners as perceived by advisors, which affected advice-giving. The findings support the importance of both behaviourist and social learning approaches in influencing pro-environmental behaviour, and that their importance varies depending on the stage of the decision process. The findings show that behaviourist interventions, such as the program structure, were associated with variations in participation, and that different subsets of the population of houses from the Region of Waterloo were attracted to the different program structures. Indeed, in each program structure, the decision to return was influenced by different decisions. A critical finding of this study was that these programs were not sufficient to alter the path dependence of energy consumption or of energy systems as the program participants usually did not implement the most effective retrofits, and if they did, the retrofits did not achieve adequate depth of reductions to energy consumption in a timely manner. According to the home energy advisors, many homeowners had pre-conceived ideas upon entering the program of replacing their heating systems and windows. The interpretation of the qualitative and quantitative data showed that these intentions were often not altered, particularly in the case of windows, the decision that advisors believed to be the least effective of energy decisions.

A dificuldade do gás natural em penetrar no mercado residencial e competir com os usos térmicos da energia elétrica é o objeto principal de análise deste trabalho, o qual procurará sustentar que, em centros urbanos onde o gás canalizado é ou será uma realidade, sua utilização mais ampla não deve ser em um contexto de competição predatória com os outros energéticos, mas de complementação estratégica do sistema energético como um todo. O uso térmico da eletricidade gera demanda e não consumo para as concessionárias de energia elétrica, ou seja, em curto espaço de tempo, dentro do chamado período de ponta do sistema elétrico, há uma concentração de uso do chuveiro elétrico, que exige uma importante infra-estrutura de geração, transmissão e distribuição de energia elétrica, para atender essa demanda pontual de fins térmicos, operando com significativos níveis de ociosidade no resto do tempo. Por outro lado, em muitos centros urbanos, com maior densidade populacional, a disponibilidade de gás natural canalizado teoricamente viabiliza a substituição da eletrotermia pelo aquecimento de água a gás. Para as companhias de distribuição de gás, o mercado de água quente é essencial para a viabilização econômica das redes e consolidação do mercado residencial. O gás canalizado apenas para fins de cocção conduz a redes extremamente custosas e de baixa utilização. Neste trabalho, tomando-se como estudo de caso a cidade de Santos, discute-se dentro de uma perspectiva mais ampla, como um planejamento integrado dos recursos pode levar em conta os investimentos a serem realizados, que conduzam a um melhor uso dos energéticos e das redes de distribuição de gás natural e energia elétrica, gerando ganhos para sociedade. Sugere-se, como conclusão, que uma abordagem integrada da questão energética, no caso a cidade de Santos, leve à redução do uso residencial da energia elétrica para fins térmicos, e garanta a disponibilidade desta para outros usos, sem maiores investimentos por parte da distribuidora. E por outro lado, o gás natural será incorporado à matriz energética local de forma eficiente, garantindo o desenvolvimento do seu mercado, que terá impactos sobre toda a Baixada Santista, integrando interesses desde a produção offshore na Bacia de Santos até o seu uso final dentro da própria região. / The natural gas difficult to penetrate in the residential market and compete with electrical energy is the main objective of this study, which will support that in big cities, where natural gas is already reality or will be the use of natural gas should not be considered competition for other types of energy resources but as a strategically complement of the overall power system. Electricity used as thermal source creates only demand for concessionaries and not consumption, in other words, there is short period of time when demand peaks and the amount of energy consumed by the electric shower is so high that requires a huge infra-structure of generation, transmission and distribution. However, it creates a big idle capacity in periods off-peak. Nevertheless, in the urban areas with high population density, the existence of pipelines turns feasible the replacement of electricity to natural gas in water heating. For natural gas distributors, the use natural gas in water heating is critical factor to make the pipeline network economically feasible and to consolidate the residential market. The use of natural gas only to cooking purposes makes the network very costly and with high idle capacity. This study will discuss how an integrated planning of resources within a broader perspective which considers not only the investments required but also the risks associated can lead to a better use of energy resources and distribution network of natural gas and electricity. With it, the whole society will gain. For this study, the city of Santos will be analyzed. Conclude that an integrated view of energy system in Santos will reduce the use of electricity as thermal source, freeing up capacity without incurring significant investments. Therefore, the natural gas will be wisely incorporated in the energy matrix assuring the development of new industry which will impact positively all onshore region near Santos, and will conciliate interests from offshore producers and local consumers of the region.

This M.A. thesis aims at investigating the socio-psychological motivations and demographic factors related to how individuals perform energy conservation behavior in the household domain. For this reason, two approaches to this sociological issue, the Theory of Planned Behavior and Norm Activation Model, were comprehensively examined to be adequately combined into one experimental model that would determine and help to explain the motivations on the energy conservation behaviors in households. In total, 303 respondents were surveyed who have a residency in Prague by sharing an online-based questionnaire in various Facebook groups between April 28, 2021, and July 3, 2021. In order to test the created hypotheses according to the developed model of the research study, structural equation modeling and ANOVA analysis were employed. As a result, the findings show that combining the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Norm Activation Model gives promising results in explaining the socio-psychological motivations of household energy conservation behaviors. The author of the thesis concludes that social norms have a positive influence on personal norms, and further the personal norms have a positive impact on intentions, and therefore the intentions directly impact the household energy conservation behavior....

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Die Dissertation beleuchtet die dringende Notwendigkeit, Maßnahmen zu ergreifen, um den Druck auf die Ressourcen der Erde zu mindern und nachhaltige Bedingungen für gegenwärtige und künftige Generationen zu schaffen. Zwei zentrale Strategien werden diskutiert: Die Dekarbonisierung von Energiesystemen und die Reduktion der Emissionen von Haushalten. Diese Strategien sind eng mit Fragen von Gerechtigkeit verbunden, sowohl im Zusammenhang mit einer gerechten Energiewende als auch in der Emissionsminderung von Haushalten. Die Dissertation besteht aus vier Artikeln, die diese Themen vertiefen. Die erste untersucht den Kohleausstieg in europäischen Regionen und die Wahrnehmung der Energiewende durch die davon betroffenen Menschen. Die nächsten beiden untersuchen die Emissionsreduktion auf Haushaltsebene, wobei die sozialen Realitäten der Emittenten analysiert werden, um Reduktionspotenziale zu identifizieren. Die vierte Publikation bietet einen historischen Überblick über Energiekonsummuster und zeigt vergangene und bestehenden Ungleichheiten auf. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Klimakrise nur unter Berücksichtigung von Ungleichheiten und Ungerechtigkeiten verstanden und angegangen werden kann. Lösungen müssen darauf abzielen, weitere Ungerechtigkeiten zu vermeiden. Die Ergebnisse der Dissertation bieten unter anderem wertvolle Erkenntnisse für Entscheidungsträger auf verschiedenen Ebenen, um eine gerechte Transformation zu klimaneutralen Gesellschaften voranzutreiben. Es wird jedoch betont, dass weitere Forschung in diesen Bereichen, einschließlich anderer fossiler Energieträger und betroffener Regionen, sowie unterschiedlicher Lebensstile, entscheidend ist, um effektive Instrumente zur Unterstützung nachhaltiger Praktiken zu entwickeln. / The dissertation underscores the urgent need to address the strain human activities place on the Earth system, emphasizing the necessity for sustainable solutions to ensure the well-being of current and future generations. Mitigating the impacts of the climate crisis requires significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, prompting a closer examination of their sources and contributors. Two primary strategies are proposed: decarbonizing energy systems and reducing household emissions. However, discussions surrounding these strategies often intersect with considerations of justice, highlighting the complex social dimensions of addressing climate change. The dissertation comprises four papers that delve into these issues. The first explores the transition away from coal in European regions, assessing perceptions of justice among affected actors. The subsequent publications focus on emissions reduction at the household level, analyzing social realities and identifying potential avenues for mitigation. The final publication provides a historical perspective on energy consumption patterns, emphasizing past and contemporary societal inequalities. Findings indicate disparities in emissions across households and individuals, necessitating urgent action to reduce per capita emissions. Moreover, sociological frameworks are employed to better understand the ecological dimensions of emissions, revealing complex relationships between social classes and environmental impact. While efforts to combat the climate crisis must prioritize justice and equity, the dissertation also underscores the need for further research. This includes examining alternative energy sources, regions disproportionately affected by climate change, as well as diverse lifestyles. Such research will be essential for developing effective strategies to support sustainable practices and address the complex social dynamics of climate action.