Towards a Social License To Automate in Demand Side Management: Challenges, Perspectives and Regional Aspects

Demand side management (DSM) requires automation, in order to suitably address the fluctuating conditions within energy grids. One of the major challenges for introducing and maintaining automation solutions for DSM is to acquire a social license, that is, to ensure the acceptance and approval of the affected by the affected stakeholder communities. In this paper, we provide an overview of the current state of knowledge and remaining challenges to understand the relevant factors to acquire such a social license to automate. We also introduce into a novel related international work group of the International Energy Agency Technology Cooperation Programme on User-centered Energy Systems. The scope and planned activities of this work group are presented, which shall lead to a set of globally reaching and regionally contextualized guidelines for the successful set up and operation of DSM.