Social drivers of the acceptability of demand-side flexibility in residential use in France

Sammanfattning

As the proportion of less predictable renewable sources in the French electricity network increases, the need for flexibility arises. Demand-side flexibility (DSF) from residential users offers a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable alternative to relying on thermal power plants. This master thesis aims to identify and understand the factors and mechanisms that determine the acceptability and development of demand-side flexibility (DSF) among French households, in order to inform strategies for increasing DSF adoption and facilitate its future modelling. The study was conducted by combining a structured literature review with a survey conducted on a representative sample of the French population. Although the survey was conducted prior to my research period, this is the first time the results are being analysed in a publicly available document. Findings reveal that barriers and incentives depend strongly on the flexibility method. For automated solutions, major obstacles include equipment requirements, privacy concerns related to data sharing, and perceived loss of control. In contrast, manual DSF is mainly hindered by inconvenience due to the disruption of daily routines. The economic barrier due to inadequate electricity tariffs and additional costs is also to be overcome. For the drivers, the cost savings are mentioned in almost all studies as a key incentive. The environmental benefits, and the evolution of habits for manual flexibility, also appear as important incentives for households. Socio-demographic factors (age, income…), household structure and organisation (dwelling type, presence of children, working from home…), and moral values (environmental awareness, trust…) also significantly influence willingness to participate in DSF schemes. Furthermore, the temporal dimension matters: for example, willingness to shift practices to midday is greater among those working from home, whereas being at home does not have the same influence for shifting to late evening hours. Finally, households’ specific characteristics affect their perception and potential for flexibility: organisational constraints differ (e.g., noise issues are more significant in apartments), and tenants often face higher obstacles to automated DSF due to limited control over appliances. Overall, these insights highlight the importance of tailoring DSF programs to households’ characteristics and preferences in order to unlock greater flexibility potential. They can also directly inform the modelling of electricity networks in prospective studies, thus supporting the energy transition.