With the pattern “reducing energy consumption”, energy communities focus their activities on the demand side by increasing efficiency (making energy-consuming technologies more efficient in the sense that they use less energy to produce the same output) or/and by increasing sufficiency measures (reducing the general need to consume energy by adopting energy-saving behaviour). Overall, the core value proposition of this pattern can by interpreted as a reduction of energy dependence and consequently less energy generation is needed to cover the demand.

Implementation reference

• Promote, stimulate and deliver energy efficiency through behavioral change (FeedBack)
• Achieving efficiency and sufficiency through ICT -to- Human ecosystem (PeakApp)
• Enerjoy app from IWB
• Verified saving through improved efficiency (ThermoVault)

Research reference

• Frick et al (2018): Promoting energy-saving behavior: Formal social groups as promising middle actors for municipal interventions
• Moser et al (2018): E-bike trials’ potential to promote sustained changes in car owners’ mobility habits
• Moser et al (2015): Exploring Societal Preferences for Energy Sufficiency Measures in Switzerland
• Blumer et al (2014): Why some electricity utilities actively promote energy efficiency while others do not—a Swiss case study
• H2020 project SONNET (Social innovation in energy transitions)

This pattern belongs to the core area: Community Value Proposition