Living with Solar Power: How Photovoltaic Systems Reconfigure Everyday Household Practices

Sammanfattning

In light of the growing role of residential photovoltaic systems (PV systems) in the energytransition, this thesis explores how PV systems and related energy technologies reconfigureeveryday household practices in Sweden. Based on qualitative interviews with 13 Swedishhouseholds and drawing on practice theory, the study shows that PV systems make energymore visible, interpretable and manageable in everyday life by enabling households toconnect electricity production, consumption and prices to specific appliances, weatherconditions and routines. The main finding is that knowledge and new technologies do notautomatically lead to changed practices. Instead, reconfiguration occurs selectively when theperceived meaning or reward of adjustment is experienced as equal to or greater than theeffort, disruption or coordination required. In this study, this meaning was most ofteneconomic. When the perceived reward was smaller than the inconvenience of adjustment,practices remained stable despite the presence of relevant knowledge, technologies andpossibilities for automation.