A study in Energy Research & Social Science investigates how socioeconomic inequality in Germany translates into unequal access to grid-based energy flexibility. The research suggests that wealthier households and communities are better positioned to adopt technologies like battery storage or smart appliances, which allow them to adjust their energy use in response to grid signals and price fluctuations. This creates a “flexibility divide,” where the ability to benefit from and participate in a modern, renewable-powered grid is stratified along existing lines of economic and social advantage.
Why it might matter to you:
For those analyzing systems of distribution and equity, this work reframes the energy transition as a potential source of new social stratification, not just a technical challenge. It provides a critical lens for evaluating whether policies aimed at decarbonization inadvertently reinforce or create new forms of economic disparity, a core concern in critiques of market-based solutions to public goods.
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