Constructing Seasonality : A Study of Annual Cycles and Patterns of Energy Demand within Social Life

Greenhough, Michael and Shove, Elizabeth and Blue, Stanley (2025) Constructing Seasonality : A Study of Annual Cycles and Patterns of Energy Demand within Social Life. PhD thesis, Lancaster University.

Text (2025GreenhoughPHD)
Michael_Greenhough_Published_Thesis_-_February_2025.pdf - Published Version
Download (1MB)

Abstract

The increasing emphasis on decarbonising energy supply faces challenges posed by the intermittent nature of renewable sources and the varying quantities of supply throughout the year. Current strategies acknowledge these challenges and plan for a blend of fossil fuels and renewables to meet targets such as net–zero emissions by 2050. However, the role of social seasons in shaping and influencing the timing of energy demand is often overlooked. Fluctuations in demand matter because different types of seasons are closely tied to the spatial and temporal patterning of gas and electricity consumption, and to the scope for incorporating more renewable sources of energy throughout the year. This thesis shows how patterns of demand relate to annual cycles and temporal rhythms. Rather than considering these variations as natural or 'normal', the thesis shows how the timing of demand relates to and is intertwined with the timing of everyday life. To investigate this, the thesis consists of three linked studies that have been designed to provide new insights into the relationship between social seasons and energy systems. The first shows how seasonal variations in demand are removed from view by methods of averaging and weather correction. The second shows how demand for energy for domestic heating and cooling relates not only to the weather but to changing standards of comfort. The third study investigates the annual cycles of supply and demand and the intertwining of multiple temporalities that extend the ‘Christmas’ season throughout the year. Collectively, these studies provide an account of the relationship between social life, seasonal cycles, and the timing of energy supply and demand. In taking this approach the thesis shows how multiple seasonal cycles are embedded in the construction of energy supply and demand, and how these are shaped by social rhythms distributed across the year.