Assessing the digital divide in the energy transition: Surveying the social factors influencing home energy management systems in Austria

Abstract

Smart home energy management systems (HEMS) are crucial for increasing household energy efficiency, enabling flexibility in energy demand, and integrating renewable energy for sector coupling. While these measures can contribute to decarbonization, they also raise questions about unequal accessibility for different social strata. People with limited financial means and lower digital competencies may have greater difficulty participating in such measures, while others can more easily reap the benefits. This digital divide can potentially exacerbate social and economic inequalities among vulnerable groups. Drawing on empirical survey data (n: 1020) collected in Vienna, Austria, in 2023, this contribution analyzes HEMS adoption through the lens of the digital divide debate. By aggregating multiple digitalization indicators of residential smart energy use, it shows how HEMS adoption is influenced by socio-demographic characteristics, digital competency, social status, modernity, and housing situation. The results show that those of higher social status, who live in single-family homes and have greater concerns about climate change, use significantly more HEMS technologies. Also, men and younger residents adopt more HEMS technologies while income and education level are not significant. A moderation analysis shows that HEMS adoption is moderated by the housing type, with home ownership as an enabling factor for adoption. The study extends the literature and shows that a third level of the digital divide exists in the context of the energy transition, which is characterized by social status and access to social and cultural capital within social networks.