Disruptions and energy demand: How Finnish households responded to the energy crisis of 2022

Abstract

Europe faced an energy crisis in 2022 because of the Russian war in Ukraine. Households throughout Europe were expected to show solidarity and reduce and shift their energy use. Rapidly rising energy prices threatened the economic survival of many households. Relying on a social practice–theoretical approach, our research empirically examines the experiences of households across Finland during the energy-crisis winter of 2022–2023. Based on focus-group and individual interview data with 82 participants, we examined how households engaged in time-shifting and reducing energy use. We ask what was done differently, whether new technologies were installed, and whether new meanings or competencies were developed. Our findings suggest that households engaged in activities: to reduce and shift energy use for their own economic benefit to avoid large energy bills; to influence their overall energy costs; to ensure the availability of energy to all; and to avoid power cuts (societal benefit) and make everyday life more sustainable (environmental benefit). Households engaged in a variety of practices to reduce and shift energy use, such as reducing indoor temperature, taking fewer hot showers, using electric saunas less often, using wood heating more, and washing dishes and doing laundry at night. We conceptualised demand flexibility as complexes and bundles of energy-related practices and their elements.