As part of the publication of the collective work "Energy and its domestic uses. Anthropology of an Ongoing Transition,"
coordinated by Nathalie Ortar and Hélène Subrémon, published by Éditions Pétra, a book that focuses on the energy transition (and its socio-technical challenges) in everyday life, with contributions in sociology, history, and anthropology, Aude Danieli contributed to the chapter:
"The Linky meter coming soon to your home. Local regulations put to the test by new local discontent." Summary
For eight years now (since 2010), energy professionals in the field have been experimenting with the installation of Linky smart meters, designed to offer the possibility of greater energy control and more reliable pricing. Amidst media controversy surrounding Linky smart meters, how are staff responding to consumer reactions? How are they managing to incorporate this new digital technology into their daily lives? These are the questions that guided the investigations conducted behind the scenes at energy organizations faced with a new service relationship marked by conflicts over digital and energy issues.
About the book…
The energy transition currently underway in many industrialized societies is characterized by a gradual shift from a system based on the unlimited use of fossil fuels to one based on the use of renewable energies and more energy-efficient behaviors. This transition is affecting all our lifestyles. The changes underway, as well as the socio-technical challenges they entail, highlight the intrinsic functioning of societies. They also reveal how societies think about themselves and project themselves into the future.
Energy and its domestic uses therefore focuses on the transformations taking place in the daily or habitual use of energy resources. This book examines the tension between prescriptions for change and routine practices. The analyses presented here are based on several European examples and draw on various theoretical and disciplinary approaches (anthropology, sociology, history). They provide a more detailed understanding of past and present developments and resistance in the ordinary ways in which energy resources are consumed.
The complexity of the relationship with energy is thus addressed from the perspective of both professional and civilian actors, with the aim of highlighting the impact of political and technical choices on everyday practices. Whether studying the rollout of Linky meters in France, the promotion of renewable energies in different geographical and economic contexts, or the consideration of energy poverty, the ambition of this collective is always to highlight the social and symbolic issues surrounding energy production and its most common uses.
With contributions from:
Françoise Bartiaux, Sophie Bouly de Lesdain, Cécile Caron, Aude Danieli, Isabelle Garabuau-Moussaoui, Christophe Granger, Daniel M. Knight, Willy Lahaye, Nathalie Ortar, Magali Pierre, Laurence Raineau, Amélie Sibeni, Hélène Subrémon, and Jean-Pierre Williot.