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Scarce data: off-grid households in Australia

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-20, 01:26 authored by Heather LovellHeather Lovell, Phillipa WatsonPhillipa Watson
In Australia, as elsewhere, household electricity infrastructure is changing: over one-fifth of Australian households have rooftop solar photovoltaics (PV), and there is growing opportunity to purchase household battery storage. Australia has the highest proportion of distributed (household-level) solar PV worldwide. There is, however, concern from Australian utilities and governments that increasing numbers of households will opt to leave the centralised electricity grid, as it becomes technically feasible and cost-effective for them to do so. In this paper we explore the motivations and decision making of off-grid households, through a case study of the State of Tasmania, Australia. Our empirical research involved identifying existing sources of off-grid data and undertaking a survey and interviews of off-grid households. We conceptualise off-grid households as an instance of scarce data – a contrast to the concept of big data. Drawing on insights from critical data studies, we show how scarce data can act as a barrier to effective governance, with energy policy making skewed towards governing data-rich policy areas.

Funding

Australian Research Council

History

Publication title

Energy Policy

Volume

129

Pagination

502-510

ISSN

0301-4215

Department/School

School of Social Sciences

Publisher

Elsevier Sci Ltd

Place of publication

The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford, England, Oxon, Ox5 1Gb

Rights statement

Crown Copyright © 2019 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Energy services and utilities; Public services policy advice and analysis

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